Jamie and Leo 12-26-14 Jamie Adan 7 years after Katrina, New Orleans homeless twice pre-storm level Seven years after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans homeless population is estimated at 4,900, nearly two and a half times bigger than before the levees failed. The majority of the homeless sleep in the 40,000 abandoned buildings that remain as a legacy of the storm. By Sean Cockerham McClatchy Newspapers Ralph Paze lives in a blighted house in New Orleans. He is among the estimated 4,900 homeless, a population nearly 2-1/2 times bigger than before Hurricane Katrina. NEW ORLEANS — Theres a gigantic hole in the roof of the abandoned building where Ralph Paze lives in the Seventh Ward of New Orleans. The dilapidated couch where he sleeps is shoved off to the side to be more or less clear from the rain that pours in. It could be worse, said Paze, who survives by collecting cans for recycling. He used to stay in a different abandoned building not far away, a place where he kept a few belongings. I left in the morning to go pick cans, and when I came home that night, the house had been demolished, he said. Paze is among the estimated 4,900 homeless in the New Orleans area, a population thats nearly two and a half times bigger than it was seven years ago before the regions mismanaged levees failed, flooding the city in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The majority of the homeless, like Paze, sleep in the abandoned buildings that remain as a legacy of the storm. There are roughly 40,000 such buildings, some still bearing the search-and-rescue markings that indicate whether dead bodies were found inside after the flooding. A quarter of the residential housing in the city remains vacant, even as much of New Orleans has enjoyed a remarkable recovery from the flooding. This is an aspect most of the tourists dont see, the other side of the coin from the celebrated cuisine and music. A team of homeless-outreach workers searches the citys abandoned buildings in the middle of the night, looking for those who need help. They come across people living in filth, using plastic buckets in the hallways for toilets, sweating in the heat and humidity with no electricity or running water. The team, from Unity of Greater New Orleans, finds people in desperate shape or sometimes lying dead on bedrolls. There is no other city in America where homeless-outreach workers have to do that. It is not normal. We are very much still in a search-and-rescue operation seven years after the storm, said Martha Kegel, the executive director of Unity, a coalition of more than 60 housing and services organizations, including the City of New Orleans. They keep pulling out really, really disabled, elderly people from these buildings, and as long as theyre doing that Im not going to tell them to stop. The search goes on from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thats when people are in the buildings instead of out trying to get money or fleeing the sweltering heat that builds up in the structures during the Louisiana summer days. Outreach team Hello! Unity homeless outreach! Anybody home? the team members called out as they approached another crumbling building in the middle of the night, another urine-soaked doorway, about to walk into a rotted shell while stepping carefully to avoid any drug needles, rusty nails or collapsed floorboards. The outreach team includes Mike Miller, bearded and in his early 30s, a deep-voiced native Chicagoan and part-time bartender with a masters degree in social work from Tulane University. He rides through the night with Travers Kurr and Clarence White, whose own home in the Gentilly neighborhood drowned under 10 feet of water, forcing him to wade to the Louisiana Superdome, live for a time in an 18-foot Federal Emergency Management Agency trailer and then camp out in his own home for months without electricity or running water as he rebuilt it. This is in a metro area that the National Alliance to End Homelessness pegged in a report this year as having the second-highest rate of homelessness in the nation, barely below recession-ravaged Tampa, Fla. Miller and his team try to get people out of abandoned buildings and into subsidized apartments that house homeless people with severe disabilities. Unity opened its own 60-unit building in February for homeless and working-poor renters. Theres been remarkable progress, with a huge decline in chronic, longtime homeless people in New Orleans in recent years, after the population spiked at an estimated 11,600 some 18 months after the storm. But desperately poor people are still making their way back to the city. Others have lost their homes as rents rose in New Orleans. It used to be possible to find a place in the city to rent for $300 a month, before the levees failed. Hurricane Katrina destroyed 70 percent of the housing stock in New Orleans, including 51,000 rental units. Rents quickly escalated and still remain 47 percent higher than pre-Katrina levels. However, wages remain largely the same, according to a report Unity prepared. As a result, New Orleans is now the most rent-burdened community in the nation, with more of New Orleanians income going toward rent than even traditionally high-cost cities such as New York. Scattered families Before the 2005 flooding, family members often took care of relatives who had physical or mental disabilities, Unity director Kegel said. But the storm scattered families. In some cases, the disabled member of the family came back alone. Or the disabled member of the family came back, but now the rest of the family is living in too overcrowded conditions to be able to deal with the uncle with schizophrenia, she said. And so he ends up homeless, where before he wasnt homeless. You see that over and over again. Fifty-five percent of the citys homeless population has physical or mental disabilities, often both, she said. People such as Tyler. (Unity asked that his real name be withheld.) He came to New Orleans for opportunity and ended up living in garbage and filth. He suffers from Buergers disease, he said, a blood-vessel condition that afflicts his legs, and he can walk only a block before having to sit and rest. There are also the mental problems. He now panhandles for money. His companion is a stray dog he nursed back to health after she was hit by a truck. He lives in an abandoned house in the Central City neighborhood, and he tries to keep a low profile so he wont be rousted by the cops. The outreach team paid him a visit on a recent steamy night, urging him to come and see a psychiatrist whod be at their office the next day. Tyler was agitated, worried the teams visit would bring attention from the neighbors, whod call the police. But after a few minutes he paused, and his voice dropped. Its time for me to realize this isnt right, he finally said, standing outside the ruined, weed-choked house. Its time for me to get help. I put down the paper I was reading and look over to the man himself standing in the doorway. Hey Ralph good story, I hope it gets people to do something about what is going on around here. My thick cockney accent is gone, I am wearing my own face for a change. Ralph had found me when I had escaped from the back of a van carting a group of girls from all over Europe to god only knows where in the USA. I was not a fool I could guess what they wanted us for. Exactly the reason why I jumped from a moving vehicle with my hands tied.something... Leo Xapha Three cups of coffee down my throat and I still cannot focus. Where the hell did Jamie go? It is like she vanished off of the face of the earth. I knew she went into the cemetery but the only soul I saw was the cemetery worker. I should have asked him if he...wait just a minute. The light bulb just went on in my brain. Now that I think of it that worker had the smallest hands and feet I have ever seen on a man. Ill be dammed, she got one over on me. A smile replaces my frown. So she is one of those morphs I have heard of. That could be a great power to have. Now to figure out how to recognize her without her own face. I decide to head out and see if I can sniff her out. I close my eyes and place myself back when I was with her and try to mentally soak in her scent and the essence of her to assist my tracking skills. This should be fun. Jamie Adan Ralph and I shared the poboy our combined days earnings had bought us and I sat with needle and thread and created some new clothing out of the rag tag items we had been given by good will. Handing over a new jacket for him and pants that actually fit him I tucked my own garments away in my pack and made my way out into the night. I never stayed anywhere two nights running there was to big a risk of someone waiting for me if I did. There were many men who would be happy to find me a nice lay down job with only a little heavy lifting. No bloody way was I falling to that trap. That was how I had discovered I was different to others. I had fled from home at twelve my mother had been no better than Edwards. Even as young as twelve I knew she had been wondering how much her daughter would raise to feed her habit. From the frying pan and into the fire. Dont get me wrong, I have nothing against hookers I just dont want to be one. And the day I had been grabbed in a London back street and shoved against a wall I had considered doing anything to escape. Wishing so much that I was as big as the man attacking. He had actually died of a heart attack staring into his own eyes as I had changed form before him. Panicked I had run. I had been running ever since. Leo Xapha My search takes me to the seediest part of town. As I walk I am offered an array of...services. Each person is observed closely which they take to mean acquiescence. What should have been a quick enterprise turns out to take hours and hours. I have to ask myself why I am even looking for this female. In my experience they are nothing but trouble. Now that I think on it I decide to give up my quest and stop in at the Acme Oyster House for a bit of refreshment. As I walk in I nod to a homeless man siting outside and plan to have a meal sent out to him. Jamie Adan Moving through the crowd I see Bo just outside the Acme Oyster House. I have a new pair of boots for him in my bag, so handing them over now is a good a time as any. Bo Sa tchob byen? Mo bon And you.E to Bebe? Bo had been trying to teach me to talk like a native. I asked how he was doing and he said good how about you? Or something like that. I was still very much a novice. Bo laughed and pulled me into a tight hug before a waitress came out bearing a huge plate of food and some beer, placing it all in front of a gaping Bo. Mo chagren Cheri. That not be mine. I could see the longing in Bos eyes for the food and started for my bag to see if I could cobble together enough to pay for it. Its ok hon the tall guy at the counter bought yer dinner tonight. Enjoy! Not every day you git a free dinna. I look into the cafe searching for the person who had helped my friend and my jaw dropped open. Leo Xapha was striding straight for me a wicked smile on his face. Leo Xapha The last bit of oysters slides down my throat as I glimpse my prey, eyes wide and knowing she is busted. The smile is a true one. I love fresh oysters and my work seems to be productive this evening. I leave a hefty tip on the counter then head for the door as she watches me. Her tongue flicks out to wipe over her lips which gives away her nervousness. I must do something about that. My first words out the door are for her friend. I ask if the meal was as pleasing to him as mine was. He is a loquacious Cajun and goes on and on until we are all three feeling cordial toward each other. I shake his hand then turn to miss Jamie. “I like the face you are wearing today, why don’t you keep it for a while? Shall we walk my dear? She shrugs and turns to the west while I begin some small talk. As we chat about nonsensical things I take in her appearance, her scent; which is the aroma of street living but something else too, Something fresh and spring like. There is also an aura of tiredness about her. I can’t help but feel distressed for her. She is so young with the vibe of an old person. Finally we have run out of words so I ask her what she is doing in New Orleans and how can I help her. Jamie Adan Leo really does seem to be a very nice guy and I have no fear of walking away from Bo with him. I catch my breath when he comments on the face I am wearing today. Considering it is the same face he met before he must have realized I can change my looks, not a good thing, now I need to worry about what he intends to do with the knowledge. I wait for the blackmail to start and what do you know. He is asking me what I am doing here and how he can Air Quotes Help me. So what is the dealLeo? I do what you want when you want, how you want and you HELP me by not letting anyone know what I can do? Leo Xapha She is understandably cautious. She does not know me and probably thinks I am some pervert. How to prove to her that I don’t want or need anything from her in order to help her? There is only one way. I send images of some of my past deeds to her, not from my point of view but from others. She seems a bit shocked and maybe a bit offended at my presence in her thoughts but she now can see I mean no harm. “Sorry, there didn’t seem to be any other way to prove myself quickly. Seriously I only want to help you. I’ve had help myself in my long lifetime so this is a way to pay it back. Now talk to me female, what the hell happened to you?” Jamie Adan WHAT THE HELL? CRACK, my hand connects with his cheek before I even realize I am moving. Dont you ever do that again. My mind is my own and you damn well dont have my permission to stuff memories into it without asking. How the hell did you do that anyway? Rather than trying to pry into my business I think you need to explain just exactly what you are before I tell you a damn thing. My guard was well and truly up. What had just appeared to be a kind man, was not even close to reality. My eyes darted around the area instinctively mapping out areas for escape and routes to the nearest bolt hole. I knew what I could do was strange but who the hell can shove memories into someone elses mind like that? Adrenaline pumped through me, my heart pounding fight or flight was definitely taking over and Leos next move would decide which it was. Leo Xapha My mouth opens to deliver scathing remark but something stops me. Im not sure if it is the look in her eyes or her stiff stance but I can see the scared little girl that lives inside her. I bow my head and apologize. Please forgive me. I was wrong to do that but I couldnt think of any other way for you to immediately see that I was no harm to you. It wont happen again, you have my word. Now can we start all over? Hello, my name is Leo Xapha and I am half angel, I want to help you if you allow it. Jamie Adan My first thought is what is the other half. Yet I had just slapped him and he had not lashed back at me; that on its own bought him some of my time. I cocked my head to one side and frowned a little. Angels are real? Ok so something of a stupid question since he just told me so. The memories he gave me, are of a kind soul but am I willing to believe? Why would you want to help me Leo? You have already given Eddie a wonderful grave. Why should you do any more for me? Reasonable questions I think. I watch his eyes, body and minute movements, while he answers. You can tell a lot by what people dont say. Leo Xapha Why not? I shrug and shade my head a little. You did a lot for Eddie. Why did you do it? Her face goes blank so I press on. Sometimes the good or God, whichever you prefer, comes out in us. We have no control over it but there is something inside us that has emphathy and we must help if we can. Look all I know is that you could use a helping hand and I am in a position to help. Have pity on me, if I go home I will be worried about you. Where you will sleep, if you will be accosted, if you are hungry. Dont do this to me, for the sake of my good nights rest do me a favor and let me help you out Jamie Adan I decide a little Quid pro quo was in order. Look Leo dont take this the wrong way but the last man I trusted gave me a spiked coffee and I ended up in the back of a truck drugged and heading for a lovely life under men I had never met; in a country that isnt mine? I appreciate you wish to assist me but; when the last time you trusted you had to jump from a moving vehicle and fight off Gators with a concussion and broken bones..... Yeah just not willing to go there again. I am sorry about your sleep but my life is more precious to me. We were walking while we spoke, the area was beautiful and the night held a perfume I loved. Leo Xapha I dont mean to be vain but do I look like a man who would have to do anything to get a female? Her glance at me says it all yet she still does not trust me. Look I have a friend that runs a bed and breakfast and she owes me a huge favor. How about she allows you to stay there until you are on your feet. I can probably get you a job too if you are so inclined. Then when you trust me maybe you can tell me what or who it is that has you so scared, hmmmm? Before she can answer the air around us becomes silent. Even the wind stops. No sounds of people, cars or even birds can be heard. I step in front of Jamie to protect her but of course she squeaks out a protest...until the huge ugly demon walks out from nowhere. Each footstep he takes cracks the side walk. His drool splatters to the ground and falls slowly down through the cobblestones then into the curb. In the back of my mind I make a mental note to check the sewer system for odd growths. He must smell because I can hear Jamie gagging behind me but my nostrils have closed themselves off but I can imagine the stench. The thing snorts when it sees me then lunges and flies toward me. I jump up and meet him mid air and the fight is on. Jamie Adan The perfume of the night is replaced by a stench far worse than anything I had smelt even when the tide was out on the Thames or on Bourbon Street after Mardi Gras. My body reacted without any instruction from my brain and I started gagging on the putrid scent. My meagre portion of the poboy did not stay and I barely made it to the gutter in time. Although that did not prove to help much. Leo was attacking the... It was a..... What the bloody hell was that thing? It looked like a cross between a yeti and a rabid dog. Surely not even a man on PCP, could stand the blows Leo was delivering. Yet this thing was absorbing them and hitting back. I must have let out a sound as the huge clawed hand swung at Leo because, for a second Leo turned to look at me. It was a second that cost him dear. Leo hit the tree across the street and slid down the bark onto the floor. A branch dislodged and landed near my feet. Without a seconds thought I snatched up the branch and ran at the thing that was attacking my friend. Ok so yeah Leo had gone from, strange man who wants something to friend in the attack of a ...... What the hell is that thing? The creature yanked Leo up by the neck and I smashed the branch as hard as I could over its head..... Well shoulders I couldnt quite reach high enough. It did nothing but splinter the branch. So my next strike drove the splintered wood into the creatures back. The monster turned and struck out. My world went black. Leo Xapha The fight lasted quite a while. The thing wasnt as stupid as his cousins. He actually smiled the whole time as if he enjoyed it. That is until I kicked his nads up into his grossly over inflated stomach. Long story short, the thing is dead and all his guts are dripping off of me. Usually at this time I would send a bolt of fire on him, watch him burn then flash home to a nice hot shower. This time I have a little female to take care of first. I check to make sure she is alive before I set fire to the dead demon then pick her up and flash her to the guest room at my home. Im placing her in the bed, fully clothed and leaning over her when a drop of demon good falls from my hair into her open mouth. Oh oh. She smacks her lips then her beautiul faces deforms into the beast that I killed. Each layer of skin grow one by one in a matter of seconds. The fetid smell then dripped out like the poison on a toadstool. Im about to kill the thing but then she starts to morph back to her former self. This fascinates me so I watch her through the night and perform small experiments on her to see if she will morph and for how long with different levels of goo placed on her tongue. I also say a prayer asking my guardian angel to never ever know I did this to her. Leo Xapha After a long night of watching Jamies face change over and over I am exhausted. I cataloged every face she had morphed into and have a list made on my tablet. I have searched my files and matched almost every face with the demon it belongs to. Some faces are human and so far they all seem to be of living people. She even wore my face at one point. I have so many questions for her which I hope she will answer. She is unique. She seems so innocent, I wonder if she is new to her powers and if she has others. I also wonder if she is prone to good or evil. My guess would be good as she was an angel to Eddie. She seems to be waking up so it is time for one final experiment. She opens her eyes just as I poke her in the cheek. Jamie Adan I feel something touch my face and instinctively fight the changing of my body. It never pays to shift form when someone is just waking you up. Opening eyes far heavier than they should be I look up into Leos smiling face. Morning how is the head? he asked, his voice gentle Never had any complaints. I hear Leos snort of laughter and wonder what I had just said that was so funny. Where are we and please tell the people with the cango gun to stop drilling? I groan and try to cover my ears with the pillow........Pillow? I bolt upright and promptly faceplant into the duvet as the world spins about me. Oh god I feel awful and why does my mouth taste like Ghandis flip flop? Leo Xapha Well that was interesting. When she woke and I touched her I saw my face. I wonder if that was automatic or because she was not fully awake. She is very cute when she is flushed with sleep and allows her natural personality to shine. This playful side of her is adorable. After the flip flop comment I reach for the water bottle on the nightstand and hand it to her. You are at my house, do you remember what happened last night? Jamie Adan I gulp the water, nothing has ever tasted so good. More please? I try to get my head to work properly but it is just banging away in waves of pain. Cannot really think, my head hurts bad. Dark, a bad smell. Fear... You were attacked. I hit him with a branch. Are you ok? Flopping back onto the pillows I let the softness swallow me. I cannot remember the last time I had slept in such luxury. Yes I do..Never. I wait for him to answer hoping the pain in my head would ease enough for me to hear the response. Leo Xapha The little thing is in bed, black and blue and in pain yet she asks me if I am ok. She does not realize she is no more than a puff of air. I try not to smirk as I answer. I think I am ok. I do have a rip in my jacket but I can have it repaired She looks at me with pity, as though I have lost my mind. Lets just say the demon did not like getting a splinter in his back, but it is ok, he is dead and we are both alive. Do you think you could manage to eat some breakfast? My one and only specialty is an omelette and I have some day old croissants if you dont mind leftovers Jamie Adan Any food sounds like heaven given how empty my stomach is. Yes but could I have any morphine you might have laying around the house, before your awesome omelette. That would really be good about now. Again that soft chuckle. I am getting quite attached to that sound I wonder what I would have to say to get a full fledged laugh from him. Leo Xapha Morphine? Is she kidding? I place a fingertip to her temple and send in some healing cold fire. With a few seconds the line between her brows disappears and her shoulders relax. I wink at her then blow on my finger like a gun. There are towels and a robe in the bathroom, help yourself while I make breakfast I leave her to her her ablutions and walk to the kitchen. Morphine? What in the world? I send out some feelers to friends asking if they know anything about a young sup on her own. I make no mention of her morphing skills, that is something that should stay secret for as long as possible. By the time breakfast is ready the kitchen is a mess. Ham and cheese cover the counter. Egg yolks are on the floor and 4 pots and pans are dirty on the stove but two plates of perfectly cooked Denver Omlettes lay waiting on the table. A red rose waits for the lovely lady next to her fork and the coffee is brewed. At a small gasp I look up to find Jamie in the doorway wearing my white terry robe. Your breakfast awaits milady. Jamie Adan Clean? To be really clean. Since whatever Leo had done had removed all pain from my body. Damn if that boy bottled that, he would be a very rich man. Running for the shower I lock the door and scrub until I am certain I have removed three layers of skin and my hair is squeaky clean. Stepping out into a room full of steam I enjoy the luxury of cleanliness for the first time in....... Way longer than any human could stand. There was a new toothbrush under the counter and I scrubbed well. Not that was not new. I may not have managed a strip down naked wash but I did always have clean teeth. One look at my clothes and I got the no way in hell am I putting those back on. So rather than ransack Leos room I grabbed a soft robe from the back of the bathroom door. Rolling up the sleeves until my hands were free I followed the delicious smell until I found Leo in a...... demolition zone. What on earth happened in here? Moving swiftly I had the egg slip hazard cleared, the pots and pans in soak, and everything wiped down before taking a seat at the table. You should clean as you go it makes things easier. The first bite of omelette melted on my tongue. OMG this is amazing. Leo Xapha She is like a tiny dust devil, spinning through the room and setting things to right. We are a good team I smile at her as her eyes roll back in pleasure when she tastes the eggs. I like a girl with a good appetitle. We dig in and dont speak for a while until our hunger has abated somewhat. You look good clean...I mean, yeah. Uh, would you like some more coffee? She laughs at my tasteless remark, I do tend to put my foot in it but she took it well. Maybe its filling her belly that has her in a good mood, or the fact that the demon did not kill us both. My cell rings just then but I let it go to voicemail. I would rather sit here and enjoy my breakfast with a pretty girl than deal with any more killing at the moment. An idea has popped into my head but I dont want to rile her up, but I sure do need a live in housekeeper. Jamie Adan I laugh as he actually blushes at his somewhat rude remark. Would you like some omelette with that foot? And yes coffee would be heaven. I grin at him while he pours for me. I add cream and sugar. I feel a lot more comfortable around him. Hard not to really, when I have been totally vulnerable and even naked in his presence yet he has done nothing but protect me. I feel better now I am clean and fed. I cannot remember the last time those two things happened on the same day. Or the same week for that matter. I continue to eat while Leo totally ignores his phone, Trying to avoid your girlfriend? When he shakes his head. I cannot resist a little return dig. Boyfriend then? Leo Xapha My brow raises but I do not acknowledge her boyfriend comment. I am too busy preening over her praise of my omelette. Its actually the only thing I know how to make. I get up and open the refrigerator and show her the cases of eggs, milk and butter in the fridge and nothing else I am hoping she has pity on me as she laughs out loud and tells me I need a keeper. I sure do, I am not looking for a wife...or a husband Do you happen to know anybody who would work for room, board and some spending money? Of course I would provide dental and medical too. It is so hard to find someone trustworthy, ya know? I keep my face cool and composed, if she agrees I can study her at my leisure and try to figure out her morphing powers with her being none the wiser. Jamie Adan Was he offering what I thought he was? Unsure I answer with humor in my tone. Sounds like a big job to me. I put one hand up and started ticking off points on my fingers. You are an extremely messy cook. Your day job is hell on bystanders, Your laundry must be pretty disgusting with all the blood and of course your shopping skills suck. I pause for a moment enjoying his look of stoic resignation But I would put up with a lot for your omelettes. Leo Xapha I try to control my expression of pleasure but I cant help but feel the corner of my mouth lift. That is wonderful, Im very pleased Jamie. Let me show you around the house and to your room. Oh, well there is only one room that you are to leave alone. Its here next to the kitchen I will clean that one myself and I ask you to please respect my privacy about it. Now lets get you situated then I will take you to pick up your belongings
Posted on: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 22:38:38 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015