First off, let me tell you that I have been a pretty sizable sci-fi geek for most of my life. Although I've never been considered a "Trekkie" or "Trekker," I have owned a pair of lifelike Vulcan ears, which really freaked out an overnight nurse during a childhood hospital stay. And although I don't own a set of Stormtrooper armor (though I wouldn't mind), I did see "Star Wars" 176 times in the theaters, and have easily viewed it over a thousand times on video. I used to have it memorized, sound effects and all -- and still may, I just haven't had much call to recite it recently. I know the difference between "Star Trek," "Star Wars," and "Star Search." (For those of you too young to remember, "Star Search" was a mid-'80s version of "American Idol," except far kinder and gentler and no Simon.) And though I can make the Vulcan "Live long and Prosper" sign at the drop of a phaser, I've never attended a Star Trek convention ... intentionally.
With all of this background knowledge, I have noticed that living in hurricane-ravaged Mississippi is A LOT like living in a sci-fi feature. (I've also broken this into "serial form" episodes, to be in true keeping with the genre.)
EPISODE I: "Katrina Strikes Back!"
*Everything looks like the surface of a foreign planet, or Moonscape, if you will.*
From the first sci-fi film in the '20s ("From the Earth to the Moon") to the actual Neil Armstrong lunar landings, Waveland right now kind of reminds me of all of the real and fake pictures of the Moon that I've seen (although I hear the Moon has far less wreckage and debris). It's very hard to find your way around, as all of the familiar landmarks have been washed away -- houses, trees, you name it. We make up for this by finding new landmarks ... like unique debris piles or abandoned, junked vehicles (which the Corps of Engineers won't remove).
*My (home/town/city/planet) has been destroyed.*
Like Princess Leia, watching from the Death Star as Grand Moff Tarkin decided to turn her home planet into a pile of rubble, Heather and I watched the first photos from Waveland on a tiny, battery powered TV, pitifully uttering "no."
Just like the bewildered passengers on the Millennium Falcon we were in disbelief. Han Solo tried to explain, as he came out of Hyperspace into an uncharted asteroid field, "The position's right... but NO ALDERAAN!"
"What!?! HOW!?? That's impossible!!"
"That's what I'm trying to tell you kid! It's BEEN TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY!!!"
Like Luke Skywalker returning home to find his farmhouse destroyed by Imperial troops, we returned to the slab where we lived.
Like Arthur Dent (from "The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy"), we wanted to go home, but couldn't because of its destruction -- his to make way for an Interstellar bypass, ours, well ... just because.
EPISODE II: "A New Frontier!"
*We live in something very much like a spaceship.*
Everything is right there within arm's reach in a trailer. It's really set up much like a space capsule ... or should that be "lack" of space capsule. It's like living in any of the space stations from "2001" or "Moonraker," except without the added ease of weightlessness. I now feel a kinship with Han Solo as he pulled into the hangar at Mos Eisley, and went out to purge his gray and black water tanks. I know the thrill he must have felt while getting his propane tanks refilled, hoping not to run out of the precious gas before he got to another spaceport. I share the electric joy of finding a few rolls of Campa Chem septic tank safe bath tissue approved for trailers and spacecraft. I was watching Bruce Willis in "The Fifth Element" the other day, and I thought "hmmm. His apartment used to seem small to me, but it's really just about the size of our trailer!" Mini-shower, roll out bed; everything compact. Everything you need is right there, self contained, for our (hopefully fewer than) five-year mission to boldly go where ... well, where everybody else in my town is going, too. Add to that the fact that we now attend church in a shiny, metal half-pipe, and go to government offices housed in futuristic Quonset hut tents and you start to feel like a member of the United Federation of Planets!
*We don't have any of our stuff anymore.*
Luke left Tatooine with only his lightsaber, a couple of droids, and that swell bathrobe-looking shirt. He had to leave the conditioner and Wamp Rat shooting trophy behind.
Princess Leia only had her chiffony robe whilst watching her home planet destroyed.
Arthur Dent only had his pajamas, and had to pick up a Vogon towel on the way.
I'm sure James T. Kirk had a whole bunch of swell stuff back on Earth, but he had to manage without it on the Enterprise.
At least we took pillows, a toothbrush and a couple of guitars.
Artists 'walking on water'
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O.K. Steve, you have finally even blown my mind with this one....hey man....put on the "lifelike Vulcan ears" ....go to the free clinic{one that has a shrink of course} tell em this story.....and you'll have houseing untill your house is rebuilt....LOL!...keep on keepin' on man!...take a guitar with ya they will supply da pillow and toothbrush....probably a jacket...but da sleeves may be too long
andy,ms (Sent May 9, 2006 9:28:11 PM)
you lost {at least a whole lot} to the monster Katrina...but she never took your sense of humor...Live Long And Prosper!
andy,ms (Sent May 9, 2006 9:34:07 PM)
I remember Star Search, but I get Star Wars and Star Trek mixed up. I enjoy reading your posts, though. We'll be coming this summer to help.
Jane, Southern Mississippi (Sent May 9, 2006 10:43:35 PM)
Right on, Steve. Right after the water receded and the winds began to wind down to a gentle roar, I walked outside. All that I could think was that I felt like I was in a Stephen King novel where the population has dwindled to nearly nothing after some insidious plague had struck.
There were abandoned vehicles, doors still open in the middle of highway 90. A lone school bus traveled up and down the highway; back and forth in search of survivors I suppose. An occasional pick-up would drive down 90 and pull off at the convenience store next to where we were staying. Once it was sufficiently looted, the trucks stopped coming.
Then darkness fell and all was silent. Deathly quiet! We were in "No Man's Land".
But the night skies were astonishingly beautiful. Without the usual light pollution, we could see the Milky Way and shooting stars! It was phenomenal! We looked forward to the nights and the light shows.
Kimberly, Waveland,MS (Sent May 10, 2006 10:26:05 AM)
That is a great analogy! My thoughts & prayers go out to you and your family. I hope everything comes back together for ya! May the Force be with you!
Lesley, Birmingham, AL (Sent May 10, 2006 2:47:43 PM)
Steven, you tell what happened in such a unique way. Though I get Star Trek and Star Wars all mixed up, I enjoy your writing. I hope you and Heather will be in your new home before too many months pass. May the force be with you.
Jane, Southern Mississippi (Sent May 10, 2006 9:06:08 PM)
GREAT post, Steve!!!! Now all you need to do is grab a video camera, make this a documentary, and you could be making a million-dollar motion picture and get enough money to restore your house and things and...
it would be a fun thing to see!
Stephanie Umbro, Maine (Sent May 11, 2006 11:07:31 AM)
Steve,
I really hope that when all of your "Katrina" woes are over that someone will offer you a chance to publish your stories. Even though you and your family and friends are down - you haven't been counted out. You must be some heck of a teacher. You have taken us from heartbroken to hope all in the course of 8 months. I really think all of your letters would make a great book.
Sue, Hattiesburg (Sent May 11, 2006 1:01:10 PM)
My husband and I just made a trip by motorcycle from Lovelady, Texas to Orlando, Florida. As we got to Mississippi, we decided to take the scenic route as we did a few years ago. Now, thinking its been almost 1 year since the hurricane, we really didn't think we'd see much of the disaster, but were we surprised. I just couldn't believe all the things we were seeing. My heart goes out to those that live in this area. Here we were on a "fun" vacation and we were both in tears. It was horrible, I just can't imagine what it looked like 1 year ago. I would like to say that even with all the distruction we really met some really nice people and they always had a smile on their face. These people are proud people and they will make it, I know it. They really inspired me. Good luck to you all.
Elsie Allphin, Lovelady, Texas (Sent May 11, 2006 3:36:49 PM)
My neighbor stayed during the storm as our area of Long Beach is high and few blocks north of tracks. He said that when they could get out they walked to the beach and it got worse and worse the closer they got. When they crossed the tracks all they saw was all the other houses pushed back in big piles as far as you could see in either direction. He said that his mind had quit working at that point but suddenly it hit him like a bomb going off in his head, "there are people and pets under all of this". Then reality set in and he realized what had been done to our beautiful coast. I got back into town 7 days later and you just have to have driven into our area to see the horror and experience the pain. No words or pictures can ever convey this -------------
mary, long beach (Sent May 12, 2006 2:32:57 PM)
That's funny stuff ... It reminds me of why I miss Bay St. Louis so much -- all the characters that inhabit the area.
If I remember correctly, in Hitchhikers Guide the answer to the meaning of life is "42". Perhaps we should have built our houses 42 feet high to avoid the storm surge? Well, maybe not. At that height we'd be living up there with the Jetsons.
Larry, PC and BSL, MS (Sent May 14, 2006 9:55:57 PM)
Let me re-fraise that....Live to be old and Wealthy...keep writing!
andy,ms (Sent May 25, 2006 10:12:34 AM)
Steve, I am a Vicksburger, living in Indiana now, and I have to say-and this in itself seems like a weird thing to say- that I enjoyed your analogy of the aftermath of Katrina. I asked myself how would I handle such devastion had I been in your shoes and I can only say that I would hope to have the ability to find humor thru the tears and fears.
may thoughts and prayers go out to all who have been affected by this. I know Mississippi will rise up even more beautiful than she was before!
Susan Mahan, Vevay, Indiana (Sent May 25, 2006 12:08:10 PM)
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