I bought a cheap watch from the crazy man Floating down Canal; It doesn’t use numbers or moving hands, It always just says Now. Now you may be thinking that I was had, But this watch is never wrong. And if I have trouble, the warranty said Breathe in, breathe out, move on.
And it rained, it was nothing really new. And it blew, we’ve seen all that before. And it poured, the Earth began to strain; Pontchartrain leaking through the door, tides at war.
If a hurricane doesn’t leave you dead It will make you strong; Don’t try to explain it, just nod your head — Breathe in, breathe out, move on.
And it rained, nothing really new. And it blew, seen all that before. And it poured, the Earth began to strain; Pontchartrain buried the Ninth Ward to the second floor.
According to my watch, the time is now; Past is dead and gone. Don’t try to shake it, just nod your head — Breathe in, breathe out, move on,
Don’t try to explain it, just bow your head — Breathe in, breathe out, move on.
Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. I drink at it; but while I drink I see the sandy bottom and detect how shallow it is. Its thin current slides away, but eternity remains.
From Sabine to Chauvin, from NOLA to Pascagoula to Apalachicola, the watches are going up and the warnings will come. Even Gulf Coast residents well outside the current cones of uncertainty are uneasy; they know that tropical systems aren’t to be trusted, and it’s time to prepare.
It will take time for the tracks of Marco and Laura to be firmed up, but it’s clear that something’s lurking. In the marinas, docklines are being doubled, and extra fenders hung. Gas lines are a little longer. In the local cafés and at the boat ramps, uncertainties stemming from this latest oddity — two hurricanes in the Gulf in one week? — are being endlessly discussed.
Amid it all, the unofficial anthem of hurricane season has re-emerged. There’s something comforting about Jimmy Buffett’s classic tale of preparation and resignation in the face of a storm, particularly if the shutters are hung, the boat’s secured, and the beer’s still cold. A few of you know the lyrics by heart. If the song is new to you, enjoy.
Lagniappe 