On five hours of sleep Dennis and Lynn were up and heading to their flight. I got up with them and said goodbye. As they got into the taxi for the airport I went on a very early morning run. It was my last run in New Orleans on this trip and it was a beautiful morning. A lot of thoughts ran through my head as I was running. One of the things I’d been wondering before coming home was what I would be doing when I come back to the USA for good. Will I stay in Colorado, go back to school, what job? As I ran along the Moon Walk the thought crossed my mind…’could I live here?’ Bizarre thought considering my first visit to New Orleans left me feeling disgusted with the city…now I felt a real love for it.
Doug had promised to pick me up for breakfast at 9:30. After my run, shower, and packing all of my things it was only 7:20 so I got back into bed for a while before taking my luggage down to the front desk storage. Doug got there right at 9:30 and we headed to breakfast at a spot called Coolies on a back street in a cute little neighborhood up town. Buckwheat pancakes and laughter, both of which were wonderful.
After the breakfast, Doug took me on a driving tour of New Orleans. First he showed me around Dillard University which was the first college he’d attended when he came to New Orleans. Dillard is a Black College and when he was attending he was one of two non-black students. He later transferred to Tulane for the program he wanted.
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| Doug, looking out on the Water fromthe 9th ward area -reflectively |
After that we drove to the 9th ward where the majority of the Katrina damage really took place. Basically this area had been flattened and forgotten and with five years of time to repair it not much seems to have been done. There were a few bizarre looking homes dispersed in the area, which Doug explained were a part of Brad Pitt’s project to rebuild the 9th ward. But those few homes made little impact on the vast amount of debris that remained in piles everywhere. We drove to the water line and looked out on a calm day…I tried to imagine what it must have been like during those tragic days but know that my mind can’t do it justice.
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| Rubble everywhere--even in the cemetery |
Lastly I requested that he take me to an old New Orleans cemetery and so we walked through the St. Louis Cemetery which was established in 1823. I’ve always had a strange love for cemeteries; finding them peaceful and thoughtful places to search yourself. Maybe it comes from growing up right next to a cemetery when I was a kid living on Cemetery Lane. I’m not sure. Non-the-less this was a particularly moving place especially for the messages in both English and French that were engraved into the beaten down stones. One in particular really captured me. The head of the statue had been taken off I assume by a storm or some such thing. Below the statues feet read simply ‘Silence.’
Doug took me back to the hotel and we said goodbye. I still had hours until my flight so I wandered the city a bit more and then went to the roof of the hotel and laid by the pool until it was time to catch my airport shuttle.
Back in the airport I was now heading to Tampa, Florida. I arrived there at around 11pm and quickly got my cell phone out to call Marc. MARC. Ah, it had been 5 years since I’d seen him and now there he was waiting for me outside the airport next to his car. 5 years but what had changed?; Only this and that and a few other things…but mostly nothing. We instantaneously reverted to our old ridiculous antics and it felt like old times on the 3rd floor of ROC—where we’d met and become such good friends.
I met Marc the second semester of my junior year in college. I had been abroad in Australia for the first semester and my old room was meant to be waiting for me when I got back…but someone else had taken it. Using my power in the house she quickly was moving her things to a different room and I was settling into mine. The first thing Marc remembers about me (I don’t remember this) was our meeting in the bathroom when I apparently told him that if he had a problem with me having the girl move than too bad. I guess he told me he didn’t have a problem with it because we quickly became the best of friends.
I always felt extremely comfortable around Marc and trusted him so much. He was always so generous and giving to me with his time and attention and anything I needed he was always supportive. He also loved the outdoors and staying fit which was a great partnership between us. We became running pals and weekend adventure partners. He became my best friend at Rollins for the remainder of my time there. He also attended my graduation brunch and that was the last time I’d seen him.
We first went onto a cute little street where we headed into a bar and ordered some tea and a mojito. We had a great time just catching up and chatting away with the bartender who was adorable and kind. By 1am we headed back to his apartment. He is living in Tampa now while he attends Stetson University Law School. When we got back to the his place he showed me into the guest room of his awesome 2 bedroom apartment and we both went crashing into bed. What a day; beautiful, dark, haunting, hopeful sights, old friends, and the next stage of my holiday. FLORIDA – I’M BACK!!!
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