Wednesday, September 1, 2021

Robert St. John: Reasoning w/ Hurricane Season

 For the past 22 plus years I have written this column on Monday mornings. I usually get to my office early, close my door, turn on some classical music, and spend the next hour or so pounding out 1000 words. This is the way I've done it— week in, week out— never missing a week, for over two decades.

 

Even during Hurricane Katrina, when we lost power for 10 days, I was able to dictate the column on my phone and email it in. This past weekend I thought I’d be doing that again.

 

I sit here in my office on Monday morning, and it is quiet, dead-still quiet. Everything in the town is shut down. Hurricane Ida is passing 60 miles to the west of us as I type. We dodged a bullet. The people in Louisiana— and especially New Orleans and South Louisiana— were not so lucky. It appears that Southwest Mississippi got hit hard, too. We will know more in the coming days and by the time this column goes to print we will likely know the complete extent of the damage Hurricane Ida has wrought.

 

My first experience with hurricanes was when Hurricane Camille— a category five hurricane with 110 mile per hour winds— blew through my hometown of Hattiesburg, Mississippi in 1969. I had no reference as to what the damage meant as a seven-year-old kid. I knew there were fallen pine trees all around, and there was no television. But my main memories— during the two weeks we were without electricity— were that my mother, brother, and I got to sleep outside in a tent, cook with Sterno, and wait in line for dry ice, which was all new and fun to me.

 

When Hurricane Katrina blew through here 16 years ago yesterday, I was a husband and father with a four-year-old and an eight-year-old and a load of responsibilities. The kid’s memories were pretty much the same as my Camille memories. My son remembers it as the time we all got to sleep in the den in a makeshift tent. 

 

My memories were not as innocent and carefree. I was a business owner, and our businesses sustained major damage, even though we are located 70 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico. The taproot of the southern yellow pine does not, and will not, hold up to 110 mile per hour winds, especially when the ground is soaked, and the water table is up.

 

In the 33 plus years I've owned restaurants in this town I have come full circle on my views of operating a business during severe weather or major holidays. For the first several years we kept the business open on Christmas Eve. We never did much business. But, at the time, I was young and foolish and felt it was a good idea to capture potential sales from people out and about doing last minute shopping. I was working 90-hours a week in those days, but I always took Christmas Eve off. When I would check on the crew on Christmas Eve, I always felt like Scrooge making them work on a family holiday I took off, myself. Eventually I just decided to close on that day, and I have never regretted that decision.

 

The potential storm situation is a more difficult call. In an instance such as a looming hurricane it's a very easy call. But when the local weather people get excited over a minor weather occurrence, it gets tricky. I understand, if you are a weather person on a local TV station in Hattiesburg MS, your job is to basically come on the air three times a day, 365 days a year, and say, “It's going to be hot and humid today. It may rain.” when it's time for the weather report the following day it's usually more of the same, “It's going to be hot and humid today. It also may rain.” Hattiesburg really has four seasons: almost summer, summer, still summer, and Christmas. So, whenever there is a potential weather event, no matter how small it may be, the local stations break into regular programming, schools close, and many times it's nothing more than an inch or two of rain and a little wind. In those instances, people obviously stay at home and don’t go out to eat. It's only smart.

 

But that's when the restaurant owner’s decision making comes into play. To stay open, or not to stay open? That is the question. 

 

Many employees need the hours to pay the bills and make the rent. Others need to be home to take care of kids or their homes in bad weather conditions. Years ago, I complained about all the hype we got over small weather incidences that turned out to be nothing. And then in 2013 the local weather person issued a tornado warning. My knee jerk reaction was to be cynical and critical as they had been on a streak of nothingburgers and false alarms for several years. Though that warning turned out to be an F4 tornado that lay a path of destruction through my hometown as bad as either of the Hurricanes we had witnessed.

 

We made out OK, but since then I have always erred on the side of caution. I am older and wiser. It's not worth staying open to serve a few people, even if team members need to make rent. We close at the smallest sign of trouble.

 

So, I sit alone in my office, feeling grateful that all of our restaurants are closed today. We dodged a bullet. The hurricane, now a tropical storm, passed to the West of us and we endured some heavy gusts and five inches of rain but nothing too severe. We pray for the people in Louisiana and Southwest Mississippi who were in the direct path of this massive storm. 

 

The damage appears catastrophic. The Mississippi River rose seven feet and flowed backwards at one point. 911 services in New Orleans were out of commission. The Louisiana Coast is wiped out. Electricity will be out for at least three weeks, maybe more in certain areas. More than 20,000 electricians and linemen are on their way to the affected areas. The total extent of the devastation is not clear yet. But it’s very, very bad. 

 

Extra Table will be gearing up to help supply mission pantries in many of the affected areas of Southwest Mississippi in the coming weeks. If you’d like to help, go to extratable.org and we will make sure that 100% of your tax-free donation will go to provide food and water in the affected areas we cover. 

 

As for me, I am grateful that our team members are safe and secure. We will do our best to help our neighbors in need in the coming weeks. 

 

Onward.

 


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

With that many linemen working to help recovery efforts sounds like a good restauranteur could really be used and make some dough

Anonymous said...

Agreed 11:01 PM.

All of our fist responders need a quick sandwich, cookie and a coffee,water,or soft drink 24/7 !


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Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


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Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

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