Tuesday, September 16

"Stupidity Should Be It's Own Reward..."

I had an elderly neighbor lady who was particularly fond of cats that resided just a couple of houses away from my home when I was serving the Danville, Virginia YMCA. To say merely that she was fond of cats grossly understates her obsession. They were treated as though each was a special child...and she allowed her furry children unrestricted permission to run rampant all over the neighborhood. Even though there were always present cats and kittens galore, all appeared to be well taken care of and doted on by her with lavish displays of caring and affection. We citizens who shared the neighborhood with this lady and her entourage of cats more so than less so tolerated the fact that her cats came as part and parcel with our daily existence, being also silently appreciative of the added benefit that there wasn't a rodent of any description within twenty square blocks of our homes.

Nevertheless her obvious affection and concern for her felines would occasionally boarder on the ridiculous if not the inconsiderate, as was the case when one afternoon I arrived home from my office to find a City of Danville fire engine crew dutifully extending an array of ladders up into one of the grand old oaks that lined our street. Standing off to one side was the neighbor lady, wringing her hands and gazing anxiously heavenward toward a ball of white fur that was perched precariously near the very top of the tree.

"Oh my, Mr. Jim, Mr. Eggbert has climbed that tree and can't get down. I've been trying to coax him down all day and he won't come. I tried everything and it will soon be getting dark and I didn't know what else to do but call the fire department to come get him down." "I can see that," was my initial reply followed by a question to her that had an obvious answer, "You being a cat lover for all these many years, tell me, how many dead cats have you seen in trees? Perhaps a poor analogy, but my point to her was that her perceived crisis resulted in an avoidable waste of time, energy, resources and risk to the responders had a little forethought on her part gone into making another more wiser and prudent choice.

Thus was the case all along the Texas and Louisiana gulf coast this past weekend prior to hurricane Ike making landfall. Two million residents heeded the call for mandatory evacuation, having been told repeatedly that failing to comply could have deadly consequence. However, another 140,000 people (two thousand in Galveston alone) decided to tempt fate and ride out the storm. When the winds reached fever pitch and the storm surge poured water into their abodes, thousands found themselves stranded and, in some cases, in need of immediate emergency assistance. Maybe it's just me, but in such instances of stark stupidity and ignorant obstinacy, any resulting calamity that befalls them should be their just and deserved reward.

I realize that in any natural calamity there are mitigating circumstances which preclude individual(s) from taking more prudent courses of self preservation, such as being physically infirmed and perhaps bed-ridden. Even in those circumstances alerting the proper personnel of one's difficulties and physical limitations would have one quickly transported out of harm's way. But for those persons who thought it would be a hoot to throw a hurricane party, or remain at home to be with their pets, or just to spit in the face of danger, I would ask them - if they managed to survive such a stupid decision - after a category 2 hurricane comes ripping through your neighborhood, how many dead people do you see stuck up in trees? My guess is a lot more than wayward neighborhood cats!

The devastation that has been visited upon the good people of these affected regions is untold in yet to be tallied property losses and the accompanying deflation of the human spirit. The recovery in both arenas will take months if not years to overcome. My heart and prayers go out to them. They deserve and need all the assistance that can be quickly mustered on their behalf. For those who were deliberately too stubborn to get out when they were directed to do so... You can go to the back of the line.

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