Waiting for the government

By William R. Toler

As the clean up from Hurricane Irene gets underway, it’s interesting to see how different people handle it.

Amy Jones Rains and Victor Jones, Jr. load up logs from trees that fell down in Caton

There are some who are pleading for help. Mostly from the government. To bring food and water, clear roads and restore electricty.

Sunday, while trying to get updates on the storm for my station, I called Beaufort County’s interm county manager Jim Chrisman. We had recieved numerous calls from people between Chocowinity and Aurora who had no water. Chrisman explained that Department of Transportaion and forestry crews were coming in to clear roads to help get to busted water lines so they could be repaired.

Later I thought, if you have to wait for the government, you’ll be waiting a long time.

Another phone call I answered left another bad thought. One lady, who actually lives about 6 miles from me, had called to say how she and her husband were cut off from flooding. Then she asked, “Do you want to hear a rumor?”  I told her that we couldn’t report on it until it was confirmed, but I’d listen. “I hear the National Guard is coming in and they might declare martial law.”

Figuratively, my jaw dropped.