Previously: Calio found his cousin Tiffany murdered. I see the pain on his face, just like KK’s face after his Grandma and little cousins were killed. Back at the projects, we each went to different floors, checkin’ to make sure everyone was eating and feeling okay. We knocked at Miss Ruby’s door and her little four-year-old grandson gave us all a smile when he offered his peanut butter with grape jelly swirled in, the same kind I ate when I was a little kid. Afterwards we radio each other and say, “Radio check,” which means everybody good. That don’t mean the violence be over.
It still raining, not as hard as it was, but it still raining and the wind’s blowing and daytime still lookin’ like nighttime. Still no power, still no shower, so we go out and get some buckets of rainwater to wash up. That’s how we bathe. We had the fire hydrants on too. I think maybe the baby kids turn them on.
We had bottled water from the helicopters and from the stores with broken windows. In the morning we always keep clean water around—you could dip your cup in there and brush your teeth. Any extra water you wet your towel to wash your face.
We had some fun times in between so much bad. With only my boxers on, I go out in the rain with Ivory soap bars and a clean, big towel. You suds yourself up real good and then rinse off by the fire hydrant.
Afterwards we take the towel and wash it in the bucket, latherin’ it up, rinsing it, wringing it out, and hangin’ it to dry on them windows you crank open.
We used them same buckets to flush the commode.
One morning I was splashing Calio and he say, “Man that water gonna take you away.” Calio is a little guy, so maybe it would take him away. But I know how to swim; he say he can swim, but I ain’t ever seen it.
I was telling some families I could sure use some jambalaya right now or a big ol’ pot of gumbo. We appreciate the food the military be droppin’ but it nothin’ like Louisiana food we used to: turkey necks, pig feet, ham hocks with rice and red bean, mustard green, cabbage, every kind of seafood, and my favorite—fried chicken.
We all lay low till the next day.
The next morning, we woke up to a lot of shootin’. We were on the new side of the project and the shootin’ was on the old side. It sounded like wartime in Saudi Arabia. They was firing automatic guns. Some people that was out in the water told us there were 20 boys shootin’ at the National Guards, who told them on a megaphone to surrender the guns or they was comin’ up to get ‘em themselves. The National Guards had shields, stun guns, and bullet proof vests. That’s what really shook me up.
‘Cause remember we got families sleeping on the balconies. A bullet can come from anywhere and get someone. I know too many folks who died from stray bullets.
To be continued . . .
