Venturing Out

Since the gas situation is easing up somewhat, I decided to go visit my Mom and sister Denise in Biloxi. I live in Gulfport about 15 miles from them. This trip usually takes 15 - 20 minutes. Today, it took 45 minutes. The closer I got to the beach, the worse the destruction became. It was with a sense of utter disbelief when I turned on Pass Road and mile after mile of damage was visible.

Pass Rd is about a half a mile from the beach and parallels it. By the time I made it to my sister's, I was holding back the tears. I couldn't even make it into the house before I had a total meltdown. All the homes and businesses that were destroyed and I knew that this wasn't even the worst of it, for no one is allowed south of the railroad tracks which also parallels the beach from about 2 to 3 blocks. I let loose for about 10 minutes. Then I looked at the damage that was done to my sister's house. The storm moved it from the foundation about 1/2 inch and there was a lot of water damage but it is livable. Only one room and two closets had the water damage.

I regrouped and talked with my Mom and Denise for awhile and was soon laughing again. Then Denise and I decided to go to only store that was getting in fresh supplies. I passed by the place I used to work. I was expecting tears again but there wasn't any. All that is left of the offices is a slab. The same for the seafood plant. The only thing still standing was the cold storage and Hurricane Katrina had ripped all the doors off and 1.2 million pounds of frozen shrimp had to be desposed of.

But my bosses are determined to rebuild and when I was passing what had once been a vital and thriving business, I envisioned what it the new office building and seafood plant would look like and knew that in a year's time, Gollott Seafood would once again be employing a 100+.

Even amid all the destruction today, there are signs of regrowth already. Businesses are opening up, debris is being picked up, power lineman are making steady progress, and there is actually one traffic light on the Coast that is working!!

Mississippi Power has promised that all of it's customers that can receive power, will have it by 9-11 and they are going to make it!!!