A Nightmare In Iowa

How do you offer solace or comfort to those whose everyday lives have been torn asunder by the devastating floods rolling through our country's midsection? I've seen the TV news footage daily this week. It's terrible to watch, let alone trying to imagine living through it. Especially when you live a thousand miles away here in Michigan.

Then I got an e-mail from Iowa. It was from my buddy Bob, who normally teaches college in Virginia but who with his wife maintains a separate residence in Iowa as she teaches there herself. I haven't seen him in years, not since we took a rather harrowing canoe trip together in the wilds of Minnesota, but we e-mail eachother often as we complain about life's trials and tribulations. Just not in the summer when he's on break from his teaching duties. So this e-mail was a surprise. Here's some of what it said:

"Been in Iowa since May 20, what a nightmare here.

My wife is in Fla. reading SAT essays and I'm stuck here trying to finish a course, keep the two kids, and deal with a flood. People literally canoed down the street here. Could be worse; the flood waters literally stopped in the driveway. Of course the foot of raw sewage in the basement hasn't been any fun. Had to wade through about 10 inches worth to get to the circuit-breakers to turn off the electricity down there and save the Wii I bought the kids two days before. Probably not a smart idea but had no idea what else to do.

Trying to deal with this in a town where I know no one hasn't been fun. A couple of my wife's friends came to help get some of the stuff out of the basement after I had gotten lots of the sewage out. But dealing with sewage filled carpets hasn't been fun. Had to cut them up to get them out. Water from the high water table is still leaking in.

And just when I taught, screw this, I'll just take the kids to Michigan they closed off two interstates. And most of the roads to the interstates are closed anyway. And just when I think perhaps I'll get out of here soon I see the Mississippi has decided to flood.

I'm in the midst of a Presidential Disaster area and in places the water still hasn't crested.

Okay, venting off."

Gee, what a pickle. A stinky pickle too. True, Bob wasn't suffering nearly as much as those families whose homes are up to their attics in Mississippi muck, but I thought I should respond with something to lift his spirits. (Though I thought about telling him this was divine retribution for his years of bashing my fav U of M Wolverines, he being an alum of rival Michigan State).

Anywhere, here's some of what I wrote back:

"Holy cow! I concur 100 per cent--sounds like a nightmare situation. Wish I could help. Maybe you could load the kids into a canoe, head up the Mississippi and I could pick you up somewhere and drive you here to Michigan. Those canoeing skills might come in handy yet.

I don't know though. It does sound like you're in deep sh--, er, sounds like you're in deep. With all the tornados, flooding, earthquakes in China, cyclones in Burma, Wendy and I believe the apocalypse is nigh. You'll just have to deal with it I guess.

I'll get this out quickly before the floodwaters wash away your computer too. I see you have the sympathy of the President if that's any consolation. I wouldn't worry too much about the Wii. You're sure to get federal disaster aid so that can be replaced, probably at little if any cost. Course those who have lived through Katrina might argue with me there."

Then I offered some family gossip from my end, though nothing nearly as newsworthy. Hard to say whether trying to inject some humor into the situation made it better or worse. But as I often like to say, hope it helped.