24 [I Am Jack Bauer]…

July 21, 2006 | 7:00 PM

The following took place between 7:00PM on Thursday, July 20 and 7:00PM on Friday, July 21.

7:00PM: Amy and James come over to use my Internet connection.

7:30PM: The party moves to Shepherd’s Corner (Student Enlistment, On-Campus Temp Housing) where Amy’s cousin Jeremy is staying. We visit for about 20 minutes, then decide to walk back to the Courtyard Apartments where I live, and then drive to the Quarter.

8:00PM: We leave for the French Quarter.

8:20PM: We drive around the French Quarter looking for parking, but decide to use Amy’s free parking at Canal Place and hike the seemingly 20 blocks to Vieux Carre Baptist Church. James’ co-pastor Travis is bringing a youth group to stay there for the weekend (or longer) and we want to confirm they have a place to stay.

8:35PM: We arrive at VCBC, but the pastor is not present. However, something like 50 students are. It seems overbooked, with youth groups packed in like rats. Amy makes friends with a pastor from South Carolina, and James eats some of their pizza. I watch in amusement. Someone yells “SHHHH! We’re trying to pray!” and we take our foursome outside. The pastor of VCBC arrives. Travis calls to inform us they’ve just entered Mississippi. I’m asked, “How far is that?” Assuming they were on I-10, I said it was about an hour and a half. We embark on our journey to a Cafe EnVie on Decatur.

10:10PM: We arrive at Cafe EnVie on Decatur, and I order an italian creme soda (vanilla). It’s not great, but Jeremy says his raspberry italian creme soda is good. We sit and discuss things for an hour. Things including history, philosophy, Annie Lamott, ethics, and the like. Some guys behind us are playing Scrabble. Later, someone walks in with a dog. This has to violate some health codes, but what can I say? Amy tells me it’s the first coffee shop in town to stay open to midnight post-Katrina.

11:20PM: We leave Cafe EnVie en route to Canal Place to take Jeremy and me home. We notice that part of the French Quarter seems to be without power, and remember that in Cafe EnVie, the lights flickered a couple times. One of Amy’s co-workers runs into us on the way back to the car, and we meet her. She seems nice and kind of spunky. Who isn’t in New Orleans?

11:45PM: We arrive at Canal Place and return to NOBTS campus. James takes the long route through Mid-City. Just before arriving at NOBTS, we get a call that Travis and the youth group are on I-59 and out of gas north of Picayune, Mississippi. I offer to drive to help pick them up. Amy says, “I thought you were bored.” I reply, “I was, but now there’s mayhem.” Mayhem, indeed.

12:20AM: The fearsome foursome arrives at Shepherd’s Corner to drop Jeremy off. We notice the power has been out on campus. It’s back on, though. James and Amy again wish to use my computer to check their email. I wonder why we’re not working faster to get to Travis and the stranded group, and suggest we speed things up.

1:15AM: We leave NOBTS headed toward Picayune.

1:35AM: I’m driving, and since I only have half a tank of gas, I fuel up in Slidell. James buys a gas can and we fill it. Then we drive toward the forests of Mississippi. Into the jungle we go.

2:00AM: We see Travis and the stranded youth standing on the side of the road, and I lay on the horn to announce the presence of help. Keep hope alive.

2:03AM: I take exit 15 to turn around and head southbound on I-59. James and Amy think the Klan is going to jump out of the woods. James repeatedly yells, “Get us out of here!” I speed down the ramp and onto I-59.

2:05AM: We pull up behind the van. I roll down the windows and keep my lights on. One of the guys from the group asks me if I’m a Christian. I assure him I am. They tell me he’s the greatest street evangelist in the world. He looks sixteen. Later I get out and my driver’s side window gets off track. Fueling commences.

2:20AM: We leave the side of the road after lengthy discussion. I lead them to a Chevron in Picayune so they can get a full tank. James fixes my window a little bit, but it is stuck at the half-way point and won’t budge up or down. I talk to Travis for a few minutes, and more lengthy discussion ensues. I refuse to leave my 4Runner for fear of it being stolen.

2:30AM: We leave the Chevron and head back to New Orleans. James and Amy chatter on about something, while I stare through my now bug-splattered windshield, fighting the urge to use my windshield washer fluid because it will get me wet. I mutter something about how my stupid window is half down and turn up the radio.

2:50AM: We cross the I-10 Twin Bridges. Amy begins to tell James all about how bad the bridges were torn up by the hurricane. I turn the music up louder.

3:15AM: I lead the group to VCBC in the Quarter. I drop James off so he can guide the van into a parking spot. I turn the corner and park in a spot, but remain in the car for fear of it being stolen. Amy goes inside with James. I turn the iPod up louder and immerse myself in The Fray, while holding my metal bat in my lap and giving all strangers a “do you feel lucky?” look.

3:35AM: James and Amy return from around the corner with four girls. My instructions are to take them to Amy’s place in Mid-City for the night. The six of them load up and we disembark.

3:45AM: We arrive and unload at Amy’s. James realizes the reason I haven’t left the car since the window broke was out of fear of car jacking. He says, “I forget that the potential for a car jacking exponentially increases between Louisville and here.” I concur.

3:55AM: As we get closer to NOBTS, I point out the canal that most gutted cars were thrown into pre-Katrina. He mutters something about his “SUV of Minivans” and we pull onto NOBTS campus.

4:00AM: I come back to the dorm room and grab my trusty Duct Tape and trash bag to cover my window until I can get it fixed.

4:17AM: I post my Hello Foto for this Friday. It calms me slightly. I email my early-rising father to see whether he wants me to bring the car to Mobile to get it fixed, or drive to Metairie. I await a response for 20 minutes.

4:37AM: I think I hear something outside, so I check on the car. It’s fine.

5:00AM: I crawl into bed, and attempt to get some sleep.

7:20AM: The light shines through my window and awakens me. I check on the car again. Still there.

8:30AM: Dad calls. The plan is to leave Sunday afternoon and follow my brother home. I remind myself that he will arrive with his wife for the weekend in twelve hours. I realize I have to wash my clothes. I put it all out of mind and go back to sleep.

11:30AM: Amy calls. She seems cheery, which doesn’t mix with my attitude. I’m still not sure what she called about or said.

3:30PM: I start washing clothes.

4:30PM: Doug calls and we complain about how housing has apparently done a poor job communicating with him. Jill calls during, and then I return her call. I explain the story, and then go out to the balcony to talk to her and Blaize.

5:00PM: I go to get my clothes out of the dryer.

6:00PM: Amy calls again to ask me about Touro Medical Center. Apparently one of the kids from Travis’ group has to get his appendix removed. I ask Blaize what he thinks about it, and he says he doesn’t know. Amy says she’ll call someone else. I am reminded of the fact that some of our fine medical doctors in town were allegedly assisting suicide (or euthanizing) patients during and after Katrina. I hope the kid doesn’t know that. No need to add that to his worry.

6:10PM: I began writing this blog post.

7:00PM: I complete this blog post.

Posted in Life