It's Not Just Bad, It's Worse

New Orleans, I mean.

I was there a little over five years ago, and while I didn't fall in love with the place, I was happy to be there. It was interesting to me, because I'd heard so many things about it from my friend Chris. Not to mention, New Orleans has a certain reputation (ask me about the chicken head someday).

Well, this isn't meant to be a post all about my trip to "Nawlans." It's just an update on my search for Chris and Mary, which is pretty much stymied. In effect, it's time to hurry up and wait.

The city is pretty much destroyed, or so it would seem. Society has broken down. I am consistently amazed by what normally moral people will do when they feel like they can get away with it. It's disgusting. I don't suppose I can say a word about it, as I've never had to live through something like that. Yet I believe in my heart that I would attempt to remain moral.

Looting to survive, for food or water, for basic necessities...that I can almost condone.

Looting to take booze, clothes, cigarettes. I despair for our species.

Anyway, back to Chris and Mary (seen at left; have you seen them?).

Chris, being a doctor in one of the city's emergency rooms, likely remained behind to care for Katrina's inevitable victims. Mary and their new baby girl (born in early August, as I found out yesterday) were probably evacuated.

I managed to connect with two of the folks I met at their wedding. One was the best man, Melinda (yeah, so, she's a woman; it's not quite that odd to have a female best man these days. Heck, I was a maid of honor in a wedding, but I wore a tux, not a dress), and the other was Michael, one of the other groomsmen.

I tracked down Melinda's contact information online and gave her a call at work. As it turns out, she hasn't heard anything from Chris and Mary since the baby was born, and her calls prior to the hurricane went unanswered, just like mine (which gives me hope that they'd evacuated). We exchanged information, and vowed to keep in touch should either of us hear from Chris or Mary.

I tracked Michael down on the internet, too, though he's a bit more visible (and I was aware of that, too). Being a gamer (one of Chris' old gaming buddies, to be precise), he's got a web site with game-related areas. I've surfed in there once or twice in the years since the wedding, so I knew what to look for.

Michael replied to my email with much the same story. He hadn't talked to Chris in some time, either, but we'll be keeping in touch.

One other lead: Chris' brother. I did a little more online investigation, and I think I managed to find him, too. I sent an email his way, but there's been no reply yet. Hopefully the address is still good.

Now, I wait.