Casualties of a Storm

When I was in 6th grade one of my favorite friends lived in a white clap board rent house. Built long ago with huge split paine windows covered with home made thick screens and peeling paint. I thought it was wonderful. The two bedroom, one bath sat off  Laguna Shores Road on a piece of land that jetted out into the shallow lagoon.  We would sleep next to her open windows in our baby doll pajamas. Nightly gulf breeze naturally set on 70 and that wonderful Laguna smell only locals appreciate. A few blocks and grassy fields inland my world was sticker burrs and mosquito bites. Her yard was sandy beach and water birds. I thought she lived in paradise. 

After hurricane Cecila hit not only did her house wash away but the whole jetty disappeared. I never saw my friend again.

Looking back I realize her Mom was a single parent scrapping by as a waitress. She probably could not find an affordable house after that so they moved away. My friend sent a letter years later saying an Aunt in Ingram, Texas had finished raising her and she was doing okay.

That was over 40 years ago but seeing pictures of Hurricane Hannah and a flooded Laguna Shores Road brought it all back. Liz, all arms and legs with her long yellow hair, faded splash of freckles across her sweet face. Her Mom looking tired in a snug, white polyester, waitress dress, sandy blond locks in a loose bun. Praying the tips in her pocket would cover the bills. A casualty of the times this was before state mandated child support and so many things young women take for granted now. 

I hope Mrs. A caught a break and Liz has her own piece of paradise. Time marches on and so it goes. kisses