Gulf of Mexico 2015 – Kabuki Dance

Read Time:4 Minute, 14 Second

“Them Klan guys was here again last night, Dad. Said tell you they’re tired a bein’ nice and all. Said we’re Americans just like them and you got to make a choice. They said to tell you that”…. his voice trailed off. “Scary when you ain’t here,Dad….you ain’t listenin’ anyway.”.

“I’m listening son. You know why I have to go out. I’ve got to put food on the table. I don’t like leaving you alone and I don’t like what it is I have to do but there’s no choice. None. We’re just barely surviving and it’s only getting worse.”

The man shook his head. “Americans just like them.” He shook his head again and laughed softly. “Used to call me Redbone. Big Paul Boudine and the boys….Klan……now we’re Americans just like them…huh..the Klan and the Deacons for Defense and some Redbones…funny,almost”.

“He don’t look so big, that Mr Boudine.” the boy said with a puzzled look. ” Why you call him Big Paul anyways?”

“Nobody’s big anymore,son. Nobody”
. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d seen a fat person. Oh, for the days of Walmart. He laughed out loud, laughed until the tears came. The boy, confused at first eventually joining in the laughter.


“Why those Wetbacks come here to kill us, Dad ? What we ever do to them?”
Hunger and a dull anger clouded the boys face.


“Don’t say that word, son. It’s wrong. And we did a lot to them. It’s a long story. An ugly story”
. He sighed. Like he did every day, the man reflected back on the last few years and tried to frame his thoughts into words that his son would understand without destroying his hope. And failed to come up with those words again.


The Black people called it BOB. Blame it On the Brother. Caretaker president, pliable, very conscious of his spot in history. Smart man, had to be aware he was being used. Or was he being used? Maybe looking back it was just the way events unfolded. Ambassador to England, now.

We should have seen it after Katrina. Poor Black people evacuated by the tens of thousands, temporary setups till their homes were rebuilt. Nobody in the media ever asked what happened to them. We know now.Sweet Jesus. Maybe at least they’ll put up a tribute room to them in the White House like I heard they did for the Indians.

Same thing happening here since the big oil spill, pretty much. Nobody asking. Major roads closed due to the massive construction projects president Petraeus ordered. Restoring the Gulf’s pristine beauty. Photos of new cities and smiling people to prove it. Only there isn’t any construction going on. At least, that doesn’t have guard towers and high walls. And those cities? New Biloxi, Nuevo Orleans. Gulf City. They even had the nerve to call one Katrinaville. Somebody up in Washington’s got a sense of humor apparently. If you look real closely at the pictures you’ll notice it’s the same city and the same smiling faces. Only nobody really wants to look too closely.

Folks called it BP shakes, when it first started. G-Men in Hazmat suits started showing up, taking blood then taking people, the worst off ones. Mothers, kids. Pretty soon people started fighting back. Banded together, Black and White. Another time it might’ve been a good thing. Might still be a good thing. Hell I don’t know what’s right or wrong anymore.

President Petraeus knew declaring martial law and sending in the US military would have been politically impossible. Worse, it would’ve affected the asset and bond markets. And sent the 28% unemployment rate even higher.

Who else does America’s dirty work ? And better yet, are totally expendable. Even to their own government. What’s that joke about the Mexican in front of Home Depot with a Will Fight for Food sign? Especially since that cyclone took out Cantarell last year.

Oh our armed forces are in the thick of things too, don’t get me wrong. Unemployment would be past 50% if not for the military. We’re at war with China on the Korean peninsula right now. People on the radio talk about how we need to nuke the Chinese. They don’t get it, we don’t want to win. Neither do the Chinese. Both of us got excess people and no work for them. We scratch each others backs. Same as with the Jihadis over in Pakistan. Lot of excess people there too. If only we…

A hand on his shoulder.

“Dad, Lorena’s coughing again. It’s worse, I think.”

The man swore softly.“Shit. God damn it, God damn them”.
.
.
.
.

Within a darkened room three voices in unison, one nearly inaudible “Hail Mary, full of grace the Lord is with thee”.


.
.
.
.

With a nod to my friends Kit – who provided the spark with a comment and her ability to connect the dots – and Gwen, who helped me to understand there is a disruption in our collective psyche affecting the spiritual and physical planes.

Enhanced by Zemanta

About Post Author

Carol Bell

Carol is a graduate of the University of Alabama. Her passion is journalism and it shows. Carol is our unpaid, but very efficient, administrative secretary.
Happy
Happy
0 %
Sad
Sad
0 %
Excited
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
Angry
0 %
Surprise
Surprise
0 %
0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of

7 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
13 years ago

Oso, sorry I missed this a few days ago. I’ve had a mean case of the blues over the Gulf disaster; I’m taking it pretty hard. Between job interviews and reading those stories, I neglected some of my emails and barely posted.

This was a good, well written story with a sadly, realistic plot.

Bee
13 years ago

Wow.

That was great, Oso. So, how’s it going with that book that you REALLY NEED TO WRITE??

JackieBlue
Reply to  Bee
13 years ago

Agree with Bee you are the best writer they have here, write that book.

13 years ago

Oso? You’re the man. That quite frightened the fuck out of me.

Mind you, I rather liked Redbone… ‘The Witch Queen of New Orelans’ and all that…I had the ‘Potlatch’ album too. Still have I think…must go look in the old collection.

I’m waffling now aren’t I?

soz.

Nite man

13 years ago

Jeeeeesus H Christ, Oso. That was a scary damn story! (story??)

13 years ago

That is some scary-ass possible future.

The workers who cleaned up the Valdez spill live to be about 51 years old. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRrbqBEGxiw

Most are dead now. Cheerful thought. The people won’t get their livelihoods back, and very likely not their lives either. BP deserves more than a “shakedown”.

13 years ago

stunning. and too realistic to contemplate. ta Al. Oso, Bro, we are alive in the darkness looking for the Light. TY for some Light today. Shine on.

Previous post Muzings From The Ledge: To Recluse or Not Recluse
Next post New Walt Disney World Resort – For Pets
7
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x