Almost 5 Years Later

I woke up rather early this morning between Cameron crying and just some stresses at work. So I came out and started to watch a series that I have been meaning to watch for some time now. The name of the series is entitled Treme and it is a ten part series from HBO. I have watched many HBO series but this one has another meaning to myself.

The series is about post-Katrina New Orleans. Both of my parents are from Louisiana and my dad is from New Orleans. New Orleans has been a part of me since as long as I can remember. I am on episode 8 right now and looks like it will be finished tonight (depending on Cameron and his random crying fits).

As I was watching the first few episodes, I could not help but feel sad. See, last year our General Manager’s conference was in New Orleans. My wife came with me as she was able to meet several family members that were not able to make our wedding. On the last day we were in New Orleans, my parents’ friends gave us a tour of the main areas affected by the hurricane. A fellow GM and a good friend of mine joined me and my parents’ friends for the tour. We saw so much sadness as there were blocks and blocks of homes, damaged and no one around to inhabit them. This was 4.5 years after the hurricane and streets were empty. It was shocking. I have no pictures to show on here because, we took no pictures. None were needed as they are sketched in our minds forever.

Getting back to why I felt sad. Several of the opening scenes were them driving around the same areas we drove last year. It made me question: It has been this long since the storm and it still looks this way?? It makes no sense to me why it is taking so long. I am not here to get into the political side of things. It is just sad that a city feels as neglected as New Orleans is and it is apart of me.

I am proud to have New Orleans in me and that I can try and pass as much of it on to my son now. It may be sad but New Orleans will come back. As they say in New Orleans, “Laissez les bon temps rouler!” In English: Let the good times roll!