The Human and Real Costs

I noticed far too often that many of the evacuees were poor blacks from New Orleans. The evacuation itself was casting economic hardship on a group of people that could ill afford the expense.

Before you cast me as a racist I do know for 100% what a black person looks like. I only make the assumption they are poor, if they are many in number driving a very old and poorly maintained car. I saw all seats full in most every car that I would classify as poor blacks. There are poor, very poor blacks all along the gulf coast.

I drive old cars that are well maintained. If I was ordered to drive 500 miles in any one of my cars I feel certain that nay of them could make the trip.

I overhear several personal and phone conversations where the cost of gas was going to be a hardship and the cost of a hotel was going to be impossible.

“I can’t afford $158 a night for a hotel”, I heard from one woman talking on her cell phone. By now she was out of harms way with her family in Jackson Mississippi but no place to go or money to feed her family.

When I stopped overnight I gave no thought to the costs. I simply slapped my credit card on the counter and didn’t ask.

If you live on the border of paycheck to paycheck and an unexpected expense of even a few hundred dollars comes up it become a financial nightmare.

I wanted to help but the numbers were too high. It was literally a sea of humanity in need. Perhaps next time the state or feds could post help with breakdown up and down the interstate.

When I got to Atlanta, we stopped for a sub sandwich. A white man with a dog approached me and my friend and told us he was down on his luck and could we spare a few dollars.

No we told him.