The Water Came Up Around Him

The water came up around him

And from across the street

I was just praying

I was just sitting up in my house

Praying for somebody

To do something

Because I just couldn’t believe

What I was seeing

Poor old man

Just laying in his bed

And water coming up around him

Like a snake

Trying to grab a hold

I used to know all my neighbors, you know

Because I was taught

To be familiar

With the people around you
My parents taught me that
They taught all of us that
Me and my sisters
My brother
You know

But once people started moving

Out of the neighborhood

I started losing track
And, uh well, people aren’t friendly
The way they used to be

Nobody comes over

And introduces themselves

When they move in

And when you go to meet people
They don't answer the door
They pretend they're not home
So why bother

I can see people

From my bedroom window
Because it faces the street

Of course, I’m no eavesdropper

But I can’t help having no curtains

And if the other person doesn’t have any either

Then I guess we’re just going to get to know each other
A little better
Aren’t we?

The old man moved in

Back in, oh god, must have been ’93/’94?

I waved at him when he was getting his mail once

But he didn’t wave back

And that was about it

As far as any, uh, interaction went

Between the two of us

Are you sure I can’t get you a cup of tea?

Coffee?

Do you like coffee?

All right, well, I was sitting there

Waiting to hear from my son

Because he—

Well, this is wild

But it’s true

--He rented a boat

A boat

To come and get me

Do you believe that?

That’s what happened

Honest to god

He called me right before we lost all the services

And said ‘Mama, it’s gonna get real bad.  Just sit tight.’

That was when he told me he got a boat

And I almost fainted dead away

Imagine my son

Coming to pick me up

In a boat

Like it was nothing

Lord, oh lord

But that’s what he did

You’re not interested in any of that though

I know, I know

I’m sorry

Well, you’re interested

But you’re not

Because I’m still here

I’m still here talking to you

And that man isn’t

And that…

I think about that

All the time

About the water

How it…

How it just

Came up around him

And him just laying there

In bed

Not moving

Face up

Looking at the ceiling like…

Like if he didn’t see the water

It wasn’t going to get him

I remember getting up
And banging on my window

Just pounding on it, and—

You know, I’m not a very strong person

But I thought I was going to bust

Right through that glass

Trying to get his attention

And I didn’t even care

Pounding

Pounding on my windows
My husband put in those window
And they are strong
But boy did I pound

Did I ever

Trying to get him

To get up off that bed

And do something

Now, I don’t know what

I don’t know what I would have…

But I—

I—

My son was coming

My son was coming

And he could’ve—

He could’ve taken him too

I mean, this boat—

This boat he rode up in

Had plenty of room

Plenty of room

For other people in it

Plenty of room

For some foolish old man

Who lays down in a bed

When the water is coming up around him

Instead of trying to get to a roof or something

You think the water wasn’t coming up on me?
You think I wasn’t scared?

You think if my son didn’t have that boat

I wouldn’t have been just where that man is now?

But hell no I wasn’t just going to lay there

And let it take me

I would have put my head through that glass

And tried swimming

Dumb as that sounds

I would have fought before I let

The water take me away

Like that

I know some people didn't want to leave their houses
But that's just dumb
I'm sorry
But it doesn't make a damn bit of sense to me

You think I didn't raise all my kids in that house?
You think my husband didn't die there?
You think that house didn't mean something to me?

But when I meet the good Lord
I'm not going to tell Him
That I died because I was married
To four walls and a floor
Now that's just foolish
And there ain't no other word for it

By the time my son showed up

The water was up to my waist

In my own living room

And I should have been thinking about being electrocuted

Or catching some disease

But instead I was just looking across the street

At that man

Lying in bed

Not doing a thing

Not doing a damn thing

For himself

When my son picked me up, I said we had to go get that man

And he said ‘Mama, how we gonna do that?’

And I said, ‘I don’t know, but we gotta’

I said we’d have to break through a window

Or a door or something

But then the—the utility pole or whatever it was

Came down right in front of us

And I thought we were all goners

My son gunned the engine

And the boat took off

And I was screaming

Screaming about the old man

In the bed

Screaming because I saw him

I saw him

And that meant—

That meant I had to do something

That meant it was my—my—

My God-given responsibility

To do something

I…

I…

Well I don’t know what else to say

I’m just…

I’m not sure

There’s anything else

To say