Katrina...the aftermath - Part 2

So there I was at my friend's house, planning to just settle in for the long haul and try to get gas when things calmed down a bit. It wasn't long before my mom called me. They had gone to church, and on the way, they saw where one of the largest gas stations around had evidently received a load of gas. Cars were already lined up. I decided to try my luck - they probably wouldn't run out of gas real soon, and the station was just close enough that I thought I could make it. So my friend and I loaded up in my car and set out for the station.

We never made it.

Yes...for the second time that day, I ran out of gas on the interstate. Fortunately this time, I was able to pull off the road AND my friend called her mother who had some gas in a gas can. So we wait on the side of the road, cars and 18-wheelers screaming past us, for my friend's mother to arrive with the gas. She gets there, we fuel up, and just as we are about to pull out, a police officer pulls in behind us. I'm sure he was checking to see if all was well. My friend jumps out to tell him what happened and he tells her that we shouldn't try for the big station we were headed too (the lines were already outrageous) but another smaller station had just opened up not 1 mile from where we were. So we load up and head back to this station.

As we pull up to the station, all the lights are out and there are about four police cars, with lights flashing, sitting in the parking lot. My first thought was, "Dear God, someone's been killed!" Fortunately, that wasn't the case. When the power came on at the station, people started rushing to get gas. In the chaos, some woman who was trying to turn her car around, hit a light pole and blew the transformer. The station had only been online for about 10 minutes when it happened. It was crazy. So we talked with the assistant manager and they said I could leave my car there over night, and then come and wait the next day for the power to come on. So that's what I did.

I arrived at the station at 7:45 am on Thursday, September 1. I was hoping that we wouldn't have to wait long, and I would be able to go to work. Ha - wishful thinking!!! It turned out to be a long day.

At first, they told us we would have to line up on the road, and not on the parking lot. So those of us who were there, did that. After a couple of hours, the police came and made everyone leave. I was able to hustle myself right back onto the station property before they taped it off. Thank God! So there we were, about 30 of us, with our cars parked behind the station in the diesel fuel area. It was like we were hiding out so that we could be first in line for the Grand Prize! You see, the police had taped off the gas station to prevent people from blocking traffic and causing a commotion on the road in front of the station. It is in a spot that could cause major traffic jams. Anyway, we were all just hunkering down to wait things out.

All of a sudden, someone in an SUV drives straight through the tape and screeches to a halt a mere 10 feet from where I was sitting. I thought the guy had lost his mind! Turns out, he was one of the managers or something, and was there to make sure the station was open for business. Mind you - the power was out and those ladies behind the counter were having to write everything down by hand. You can imagine how crazy it would get with a bunch of people wanting a warm drink! So the guy begins to pull down all the tape, and wouldn't you know it, it was like throwing chum to the sharks. People started pouring into the gas station. Those of us already in the parking lot, hauled butt to get our cars next to a pump. We were determined not to let anyone just driving up bump us out of our spot - especially since we'd been sitting there for nearly 6 hours already. I was just waiting for the cops to come and bust the guy for creating a problem. Of course that didn't happen - they had too much else to deal with.

So there we were, once again, waiting for the power to come on so we could get the gas stored below our feet. Someone finally called the power company and we found out they weren't aware of the problem (yeah, right!) and didn't have an address (another - yeah, right!) Several phone calls had been made. It was obvious that coordination between our power company and those companies in town to deal with the damage from the storm wasn't happening smoothly. The minutes and hours slowly crept by, still with no change.

The good thing about this situation was that since no one could really go anywhere, all you have time to do is chat. I met some really interesting people and really had a great time in spite of the difficult circumstances.

To make a long story a bit shorter, the power truck arrived at 9 pm (after many phone calls to various people). The guy, who was obviously worn out (turns out he'd been working 14 hours), jumps out of his truck to check things out. You could feel the glimmer of hope rising among the crowd....perhaps our wait would soon be over! Everyone moved to the edge of the lot, near where the power guy was working, and the word quickly spread around....no help tonight - he didn't have the parts and they wouldn't be in until the next day. It was like someone poked a hole in a balloon - that's how quickly everyone's hearts and spirits deflated. There would be a crew arriving in the morning to get the power up.

After having just spent 14 hours myself on that lot, the idea of a few more hours was nothing! At least we knew they were aware of the problem and would be getting on it first thing the next morning. At least I had somewhere I could go to get some sleep. There were several people who were basically stranded...they didn't even have fumes to try and get to the next station. Those guys ended up sleeping in their vehicles overnight. My friend came to get me and we surveyed everyone to make sure they were ok. Did they need any drinks, something to eat, a pillow or blanket? Most everyone said no, they were fine, but we went to her house and fixed some stuff anyway. When we came back, they were definitely grateful! We gave the guys our numbers and said to call if they needed anything or if the situation changed.

So early the next morning, one of the men called me to let me know my car was ok and the power crew wasn't there yet, but FEMA was commandeering the station and only those on the lot would be able to get gas once the power was back up. Needless to say, I hustled to get ready and was back at my car by 7:30 am. We were expecting the power company to show up around 9 or 10 am and then we'd be done and out of there!

Again, wishful thinking!

Of course, we all knew that this was just an extremely difficult situation. Everyone was very patient and understanding considering where we were, but it was also beginning to wear thin. You could tell people's nerves were on edge. Several of us kind of became an extension of the police department. Because there were cars parked at the pumps, passersby thought the station had gas. So once again, a line started to form. We had been instructed to not let anyone on the property (since FEMA was going to be using the extra fuel for emergency personnel) and so we were out at the street, directing traffic. I can tell you, people get ugly in stressful situations. I can also tell you - I fry like bacon when I get in the sun. It wasn't (and still isn't) pretty!

With tensions running high, and the temperature rising, some people began calling the power company again. I thought they were going to explode when one dispatcher said there was no work order for that location. This was especially difficult to hear because that phone call was made at about 10:30 am....LONG after they were supposed to be there to fix the transformer. So then the power company tells us they'll have someone there by 12:00. That didn't happen either. This one girl, Amy, who was calling the power company began bartering with the supervisor she managed to get on the phone. "We'll let your trucks get ahead of us in line to gas up...just PLEASE send them!!! We've been waiting for 2 days!!!!" Word got around that they would be there by 2 pm.

Wouldn't you know they'd show up at 1:45 pm! It was like someone let the cat out of the bag. All of a sudden there were about 5 huge power trucks descending upon us to fix the transformer! You should have heard the shout that went up from the crowd. All of a sudden, everyone was bursting with energy! We came up with a game plan to get everyone who had endured their share of the gas. We were going to claim our "squatter's rights!" At some point during the day, the police decided to just quit fighting the traffic and let people line up. I guess, too, FEMA found somewhere else to commandeer a station, since it was taking too long to get this one up. So when the power company got the power back on, there were probably a hundred people (if not more) lined up to get gas. That doesn't include the 100 people on the station property that had first dibbs on the gas. The line only got longer.

There were four of us who decided to stick around once we got our gas and help direct traffic so that no one would get hurt. We just wanted to help the station workers keep things in order. It was Anthony, Amy, myself and Keith. We had formed a tight little group through this ordeal, but had also managed to have some fun. It made the experience worthwhile.

To end this long tale....we were able to gas up by 3pm. I hung around until about 5pm - my skin could take no more of the sun's rays and they were about to be out of gas. I thought it might be a good time to leave! I must say - we had things running smoothly! My job was to yell out which side of the people's car the gas tank was located so that we could get them in quickly. I was so glad to have gotten gas, I guess it showed - I had more than one person tell me it was nice to see a smiling face.

The crazy thing is this....I have never felt so hopeless in my life. This week has really challenged me spiritually. I realized just how much I still depend on myself to take care of things and God allowed me to see once again - I don't have any control. I just think I do. The overwhelming sadness of the situation in New Orleans and on our own Coast was almost more than I could bear and the knowledge that I couldn't do anything because I couldn't get anywhere really weighed heavy on me. I'm a "fixer"...I've got to be "doing" something in situations like this. And for once....there wasn't one thing I could do except sit and wait...and pray.

God is still working in my life. Of that I have no doubt. He reminded me so well that He is my source and my strength. I can't function without His presence in my life.

I wonder how many other people are being brought to the end of themselves so that God can really reveal Himself to them? I hope it is happening to thousands of people - this world will be changed when we give ourselves completely over to God and let Him accomplish His will through us....in His time and in His way. Not an easy lesson to learn, but a very beneficial one.

I hope there are many things learned in the aftermath of Katrina.