Sugar Doll's Hurricane Blues (11 page)

“Big Ma, please go. I promise to find you. I’ll be all right. Bertrand is probably on his way down already.” Sugar Doll took two hundred dollars and put into her grandmother’s hand. “I’ll see you in a couple of days.” She said.

“All right, my blood pressure is already high so I’ll go but I want to hear from you. I have this here cell phone and I expect you to call me as soon as you are away from trouble.” Big Ma grabbed Sugar Doll and hugged her hard. “I love you child.”

“I love you too Big Ma. Don’t forget to take your medicine.” Sugar Doll said tearing up in spite of herself. “I’ll stay right here on the porch until someone stops to get me, either the sheriff or Bertrand.” Sugar Doll smiled and kissed Big Ma on the forehead.

As they packed in the rest of Big Ma’s belongings and made room for her in the church van Sugar Doll felt a sense of loss
but she knew that she was just feeling sad. She waved goodbye as they pulled onto the shelled lane and hit the highway going much faster than she would expect from the Pastor.

She went back to the porch to sit in the rocking chair most occupied by her grandmother. The rain splashed from the porch banister and splattered a little on her face. She watched the waving cat tails all beige and fuzzy across the street. The rain looked like sheets of glass coming down. The neighborhood was quiet. The next door neighbors had already been on vacation in Mississippi so she could only assume that they would weather the storm there. She fell asleep from the lull of the rain. A powerful thunder boom woke her from her sleep. She sat up disoriented. The sky had turned almost black although it was one o’clock in the afternoon. She got up and walked through the house to the back porch to look out at the levee. She could make out a funnel cloud which was touching down on the river. She’d seen these before and they rarely came off of the water. Her grandfather used to call them the finger of God. She stood in awe for awhile.

She went back into the living room and tried the television. It came on with news about the hurricane’s progress. She was relieved that there was still electricity. The newscaster showed a graphic of the path of the hurricane and she could see that the hurricane was headed directly for her tiny peninsula. “Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for lower Plaquemines Parish and surrounding areas.” For the first time Sugar Doll felt scared. Just then a white Parish police car pulled into the driveway flashing its blue lights.

The officer driving got out of his car in the pouring rain and ran toward the house. “Ma’am do you have transportation to a safe area?” the officer asked.

“No sir, I don’t. My Pastor said that he would notify the police. Are you here to collect me?” Sugar Doll asked.

“We did receive the call but I’m calling on residents to evacuate. The buses in Belle Chasse are filling up quickly. I will drive you as far as that and then you can get transport from there.” he said.

“Thank you, Officer Benson.” Sugar Doll said reading his name plate.

“You are welcome, gather up your things and I’ll pull the car closer to the house.” He said and ran back outside. The lights of his car were still flashing. Sugar Doll felt relief. She had only two suitcases as she had put the photo albums in the van with the Pastor. The car pulled up as Sugar Doll locked the front door to the house. As they drove away onto the highway she looked back over her shoulder at the green and white house she had grown up in and felt a rush of sadness. She hoped that she would find it there again safe and sound. The lightening and thunder became more violent as they drove up the highway.

Miles away from Sugar Doll’s escape, Bertrand tried for the fourth time to break through the busy circuits. He finally got a ring which had a strange echo to it. The phone rang and rang but he was afraid to hang up. He knew that Big Ma and Sugar Doll needed him and here he was holed up in a motel with Kevin. Finally when he realized that he wasn’t making any progress he hung up the phone.

“Man I gotta go down to the country to get Big Ma and Sugar Doll. That hurricane is going to hit for sure.” Bertrand
said to Kevin who was relaxing on the other bed in the room watching the news on mute.

“Niggah what are you talking about? Tonight is the night.” Kevin said aggravated.

“A hurricane coming bro and I can’t just leave them with no help. Our cousins aren’t down there so that leaves me.” Bertrand said getting up and looking for his car keys.”

“Man, that storm ain’t gonna touch ground for at least two more days. We got time, plus traffic is going to be ridiculous. It’s probably not even going to come close to us. It’s going where it always goes, Greenville, Texas.” Kevin broke into a grin.

“Oh, so now you a weatherman? Looka here man, I’m going that’s all.” Bertrand headed for the door.

“At least call before you go, they may have already left and you all set to go down there for nothing.” Kevin admonished.

“I did call several times but no one answered the one time I got a line. Other times the circuits are busy.” Bertrand said.

“So you see there, if I know Big Ma like I think I know her they have hauled ass about three days ago and you know it.” Kevin stood up and walked to Bertrand.

“Hey, doesn’t Sugar Doll have a cell phone? Sometimes they are not affected by busy circuits.” Kevin suggested.

“Yeah, I have it here, or is this Big Ma’s number?” Bertrand shrugged and dialed the number. Big Ma answered on the second ring.

“Hey, where are you now?” Big Ma asked thinking that it was Sugar Doll.

“I’m in Baton Rouge, where are you”? Bertrand asked.

“Who is this?” Big Ma asked confused.

“It’s Bertrand. Did you and Sugar Doll get out of the parish?” Bertrand asked as Kevin returned to his comfortable spot on the bed.

“No, I’m here with Pastor Han on our way to Alexandria but there wasn’t enough room for Sugar Doll. She was waiting for you to come or call and now here you are in Baton Rouge.” Big Ma sighed.

“I’m going to get her right now.” Bertrand felt his heart tighten in his chest.

“No you ain’t, I sent the sheriff to go and get her so Lawd knows where she is now. You go and find out what shelter she is in and then take her back to Baton Rouge with you. We can all meet up after the storm.” Big Ma said goodbye wanting to keep the phone open for Sugar Doll’s call. She didn’t know how to work the caller id portion of the phone. It confused her. She looked out the back van window in prayer, “Lawd, Lawd keep my granddaughter safe.”

The warmth of the police car was a drastic difference from the cold rain droplets which pelted Sugar Doll as the officer let her off in front of Belle Chasse High School. She shivered as she got out of the car. The change in temperature was probably due to the rise in pressure from the storm. There were people sitting in corners of the school gymnasium awaiting buses to evacuate them to safer areas. Sugar Doll sat down in the middle of the gymnasium floor. She gazed mournfully at the basket. This was a far cry from all of those school basketball games they had attended at their rival school.

“Sugar Doll?” An unmistakable voice rang out as Patrice an old high school buddy ran over to her. “Girl I thought that was you.” Patrice hugged Sugar Doll’s shoulders from behind. Sugar Doll felt so happy to see someone she knew that she cried.

“Girl, now don’t you cry, me and my sister think that they done forgot about us honey. We are thinking of just driving to the city and going to the Superdome in New Orleans to sit this storm out.” Patrice smiled.

“I thought the buses were taking everyone to Baton Rouge?” Sugar Doll asked surprised.

“Yeah, some of them are but they fill up quickly and I don’t think that they are coming back for us anytime soon. You can come with my sister Elise and me if you want to, we got room. We’ll ride this storm out and then go party in the French Quarters girl. You sing there I heard?”

“Yes I do.” Sugar Doll thought of Remy then and shook her head in agreement. She needed to see him, to hold him, to feel safe. Patrice gave her friend a hand to get up.

“C’mon girl let’s go before the storm gets worse. We don’t want to weather the storm in Belle Chasse.” The girls walked arm in arm over to a very obese young woman who unfortunately was eating a donut. “Elise, where did you get that donut?” You know you ain’t supposed to be eating no high caloric content.” Patrice scolded.

“A priest gave it to me. I couldn’t say no.” Elise shrugged.

“Why not? We ain’t Catholic! If your big ass catch a heart attack and die you’ll be right there at a Baptist church.” Patrice picked up her sister’s bags. Let’s go. You so lucky momma not alive to see you like this. Wipe them crumbs from your face and you’d better not cry.” Patrice hugged what she could of her enormous sister.

Patrice decided to park her car in the French Quarters because of the traffic and the higher level of ground. They walked the several blocks holding onto each other. Sugar Doll
looked around several times hoping to see Remy. A heat of regret rose up in her cheeks. She knew that he was at Mona’s club. She almost wished that she weren’t so stubborn. Patrice was dragging her along by the arm. Sugar Doll felt compelled to keep walking at the fast pace. The rain and the rising water created a sense of urgency. Elise was surprisingly quick given her enormous girth. She moved like a cat under the pressure of the heavy rain. The umbrella they shared was blown forward by a strong gust of wind. The spokes stretched outward. Elise looked up at the umbrella as though it had betrayed her. Finally the Superdome was in sight. On many occasions they had made this same trek but it didn’t take half as long and even the rain was softer, quieter back then. This rain pelted the girls on the face, raining down like tiny pins set to kill them slowly. The girls arrived at the Superdome in pouring rain. The streets were beginning to flood. The water sloshed around their ankles.

An old man stood in front of one of the glass doors. He stopped them, “The Red Cross is giving out blankets and food. Ya’ll go get ya’ll some before they run out.”

“Thanks baby.” Elise bustled to the door. Such was the kindness of old men in New Orleans they always wanted to help someone. Sugar Doll wondered if he had a blanket and food. She looked at him over her shoulder. He leaned against the door seeming to wait for others to tell them this news. Sugar Doll thought of her grandfather then, long since dead. He was as light as a white man but he preached in the Baptist church with a deep roll of a voice. She’d been frightened of him. He had been kind to her. So kind that she called him daddy along with her aunts and uncles because her daddy had long since died and she didn’t know any better.

On the streets during their run there seemed only scattered people walking about only a few or so but as soon as they entered the Superdome the mass of humanity was palpable. It was unusually hot in the dome considering the coldness of the rain. There was no heating system either. It was the many people who had come here smelling of mud, of hair grease, of baby powder who made up the crowds. Sugar Doll looked around at the packed Superdome. She knew that none of her relatives were there. These were the locals. She felt out of place. A country girl in the big city.

People sat amongst their families, waiting expectantly looking at the top of the dome and the trickle of water that was falling through the cracks. The spirit seemed relaxed. No one really thought that the hurricane would actually hit the city. Everyone talked about how they were going home to cook some red beans or fry some catfish. The spirit was “jovial” the word came to Sugar Doll. Like this was an outing they could talk about the next day. Everyone had the New Orleans spirit, laughing and joking with each other.

As they climbed the steps of the stadium Patrice saw a family “from down home” and ran off toward them. Sugar Doll didn’t look for Reverend Han or Big Ma because she knew that they were headed up north away from the water and trouble in general. She imagined that she was in the van with them smelling that strong coffee Big Ma had brewed for the car and the spearmint gum that inevitably followed.

The heat of the Superdome rose to greet them the higher they climbed up the steep stairs. Elise tugged at her sleeve. “Sugar Doll girl I’ve been calling you for a minute. C’mon Patrice has gotten us a nice spot.” Sugar Doll turned around and slowly followed her friend. She realized that she didn’t want
to be there. She thought of Remy. As she followed Elise she realized that she wanted to return to the French Quarter. It seemed safer there, calmer, more familiar. She didn’t want to remain in this stuffy building.

She had only been to the Superdome once for the Bayou Classic. The crowd was thick as it was on this day but the air conditioners were on full tilt. As they descended the stairs she looked over and saw a few young boys’ playing cards rather excitedly. “Man you cheat!” One argued but his smile betrayed him.