Evacuees @ MindSay

My husband's family is from the Port Arthur / Beaumont area and most of them are homeless right now.  They aren't able to get back in town because of the flooding and if they could, that doesn't mean their houses weathered the storm. Yesterday, my sister-in-law called because the shelter where they were staying in Luftkin, TX , was kicking them out and they had no place to stay.  She told us that there were 15 of them and hubby and I started racking our brains trying to figure out how to accommodate them.  We figured five could stay with us, five could stay with my mother and five could stay in a hotel that my mother graciously paid for a week's stay (God bless her!). We figured his grandparents and great-aunt could stay in the hotel since they are old and his great-aunt is nearly infirm.   

Now here's where things get interesting.  My husband went out and bought a very comfortable, portable mattress for about $100 and extra sheets and pillows. We cleaned the house really well and even made room in my daughter's room which looked like Hurricane Rita had come and made a personal visit. My mother pretty much did the same thing. After that we waited -- and waited.  Where the heck were they?  My husband's sister called annoyed and said "Ainnee (auntie) wouldn't let anyone help her when we stopped at Walmart. Her stubborn ass slipped and fell and now we are in a hospital in the Woodlands!" She slammed down the phone and I knew she was pissed off.  Later she called and said "They want us ALL to stay in the emergency room with her. They are also using up all of my minutes because their phones don't work outside of their area! Damn it, I'm tired." 

I started to get frustrated myself, but fell asleep anyway. The next day I hadn't heard from any of them so we called his family to see what the heck was going on.  Apparently they were still in the emergency room! Finally, I told my sister-in-law, "Hey, my mom paid for ya'll to have a hotel room for a week. Why hasn't anyone checked in yet? What about the kids who are traveling with you? They should be exhausted.  We set up places for everyone to sleep."  My sister-in-law agreed with me. She couldn't understand why they all had to stay with her great-aunt since they traveled in three cars.  She  also said her nerves were bad because she wasn't able to take her anti-depressant meds for a few days and she was out.  Truth be told I was getting annoyed and I'm not even on medication for depression! She hung up the phone frustrated and let me know that she was really running low on minutes. (She has a pre-paid phone).

About two hours later, my sister-in-law called and said, "I just got up and left. Tell my brother to come get me by the Luby's next to your old apartment complex." Meanwhile, my husband's cell phone rang and it was the rest of the family calling for directions to the hotel.  He gave them the directions and told them he'd meet them there.  When he got there, the hotel clerk said his family left because he told them that he couldn't check them in unless they had the actual credit card that was used to make the reservations.  I was pissed off then! Why didn't they just stay there and wait for my husband to take care of the problem?  Why did they leave?  Most of the people they were riding with hardly ever come to Houston and they have no idea of how to get around the city.  What about gas?  You offer your home to people and they don't take you up on your hospitality??? Hello?? Did I miss something here?

Anyway, My sister-in-law made it here, and was VERY happy to have a comfortable place to sleep and a shower.  My husband got her a two week supply of her meds and her ex-husband who had evacutated to Dallas brought their children to our house and now my daughter is playing with her cousins.  We haven't heard from the rest of them however, and I wonder if we will.  I'm pretty sure their hotel room was given away.  If they knew how hard it was to get a hotel room in Houston right now, they'd probably feel badly about it.  I don't know what the hell is going on, but honestly (and I feel bad saying this) if they are that "goofy" maybe it's a good thing that they aren't here!