Off to Jambalaya Land

Up at 5 am. Sunrise on the Mississippi. Watched a crewman pull in a catfish as I was leaving. Asked him if the cook would fix it for him. He replied increduously, "Hell, only my woman knows how to fix this fish up right!" I wished him well and was off for Lake Charles.

Through the Atchafalaya swamp, over Whiskey Bay, past Bayou Teche, into cajun country. Passed crawfish farms, then sugarcane and finally rice paddies. The land of Piere and Boudreau jokes. Where 2x4s are 4x2s. Key West may be farther south but this place just FEELS farther south. And Lake Charles lays battered two hours away.

Strange. There doesn't appear to be any visible damage. As I approach from the east, this suddenly changes about 10 miles outside Lake Charles. First you notice that the billboards are all lying on the ground; not some but all of them. Then you notice the fallen trees and rows of distant telephone poles laying over at a grotesque angle.

Something terrible has happened here -- but it's not as bad as I expected. It has been almost three weeks since Rita struck and the residents of Lake Charles have been busy.

My Team Leader, Art meets me. I log in at the COE Response Field Office. After a cursory review of my duties, Art and I head out for a half day of estimating blue roofs.

Bubba's Catfish

10 - 15 lb. catfish

Board - perferably not pressure treated

5' hemp or cotton rope

Garlic Salt

Pepper

Tobasco to taste

Dress out catfish but leave head on.

Season generously with salt, pepper and tobasco.

Wrap fish tightly to board.

Bake for 3 hours in slow oven (275 degrees F).

When done, discard fish and rope and eat the board.

(Serves 8)