disappointment and anger
I am in Florida. I left New Orleans last Wednesday. I was completely fine in New
Orleans, and didn’t really want to leave, and now I wish I hadn’t.
I’ve spent most of the last week regretting my choice.
People 1. were scared of what they saw on CNN, 2. refused to
listen to me when I said that I was fine, and 3. don’t understand that I
am not driven by fear and anxiety (unlike most people). They harassed my hapless sister
and myself incessantly. Also, a minority of the city officials were
trying to get me to leave (most of them were asking, when not on duty,
for me and others to stay so that they wouldn’t be left all alone
in a ghost town).
I got worn down by all the emotional blackmail and
left. Next time something important is happening in my life, I won’t answer the phone. I learned an important lesson and will never be bullied like that again.
I especially felt badly for my sister, who told me everyone was trying to get her to tell me what to do. First, she doesn’t control me. Second, she understands me and knew I prefered to stay where I was. She got worn out. She has enough complications going on in her own life.
I feel like most people were just upset that they couldn’t control what they saw on TV, so they were desperate to control the one thing they could -
me. Now I am bored and frustrated, and I am missing out on everything happening back home. I was having a lot of fun there. I was doing interesting stuff.
Those of you who told me not to leave were
right. Thank you for supporting me.
I am returning
home soon - probably Monday. My neighborhood is completely fine. The water
was on was when I left (a week ago) and the electricity had started coming
on in the neighborhood but hadn’t reached my building yet. I’m sure
it’s working by now.
There is no cholera in New Orleans. Media rumors
of doomsday were/are greatly overexaggerated, per usual.
September 14th, 2005 at 11:09 am
hey machelle - you may not want to hear this, but i’m just glad you’re alright and that your house is still there. my other good friend from new orleans and her entire extended family were not so lucky and pretty much lost everything they have except each other.
glad to hear from you,
stacie
p.s. silke and others in oslo send their love…
February 17th, 2006 at 3:41 pm
I’m just happy to see you still alive…Dear Michelle, I’ve just found your blog and some report about your last year disaster, and now I’m just shocked…
Temporarily that’s all..
With love from Hungary