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Dark Clouds Trilogy
(Friday, 01 February 2008) Written by Herman King
Dark Clouds Trilogy Dark Clouds Part I © Herman King   On Thursday January 12 th while we prepared to leave for Dauphin Island, storm warnings existed along the entire corridor we would travel.   The weather cleared as we loaded the car and the skies seemed to open ahead of us leaving only a dark line to our east. When we turned Southeast on Hwy 98 from Hattiesburg we were faced with a line of low dark clouds. Lightning forked in long jagged streaks between the dark curtains, but as with the rest of the trip the clouds receded ahead of us and caused us no problem; yet they would prove to be an omen. When we crossed the bridge onto the island about 8:00 PM there were a number of Mobile County Sheriff vehicles parked alongside Dauphin Island Police vehicles at Barnacle Bill’s restaurant and a command center trailer and a news van sat nearby.   A banner announced The Island Mystics Krewe would hold their Mardi Gras parade on Saturday; we thought perhaps some preliminary security and publicity was taking place. After turning on the water, heat and checking our little house for problems we drove back to center-island to “Ship and Shore” the general store where you can get most anything you need from a good bottle of wine to a boat anchor. Talking with the clerk we are chilled to find that a father confessed to throwing his four small children from the Dauphin Island Bridge earlier in the week and a massive search would resume the next morning. On Friday as we drove off island law enforcement and an army of volunteers were walking the shore line and sand bars. Mounted officers rode their horses to the remote west end of the island. Helicopters and ultra-light aircraft cris-crossed the sound and boats searched the surface. A heaviness, like the dark clouds, touched our hearts. Ginger dropped me at Dr. Phillip’s farm and I spent most of the day with “The Lunch Bunch” the great group of men who meet for lunch on Fridays. I learned another sad fact; Rocky one of Dr. Phillips’ dogs had passed on since my last visit. Trey a mixed breed puppy had joined the group and enjoyed the attention he received from the group that sat in a big circle around a blazing fire kindled to chase the winter chill.   “The Lunch Bunch” this day, included four WWII vets, one a retired fire chef, a Korea vet, one who spent the Cuban missile crisis at Guantanamo Bay. Two Vietnam and one Gulf war vets. One of the Vietnam vets is now a missionary to Kenya; he is home on leave and can’t return due to the recent political unrest. The fellowship with these fine men is a privilege I dearly cherish.             Dr. Phillips, who at seventeen landed on Guadalcanal, and his sister Katherine had major parts in Ken Burns “the War” on PBS Ginger and I enjoyed fresh seafood and mild weather most of the weekend. We spent Saturday in Daphne and Fairhope. We picked up a copy of “Mobile Bay Monthly” it was the “Best of the Bay” issue and under favorite author (Baldwin County) the choice was Winston Groom, but there was a note that a friend, Sonny Brewer, received a good number of votes.   This was a bright spot during the weekend. The weekend was pleasant and we saw old friends and enjoyed the pleasant weather. The trip was dampened by the tragedy   We stopped on the way back to the island for a late lunch at “The Original Oyster House” which is not really the original, the original was destroyed by Katrina, but the food is still good and we pigged out on Gumbo and Crab Claws. Sunday morning we stopped at Skinner Seafood to get a cooler load of shrimp and crab to bring home. On our way off the island we found people had left flowers and stuffed animals at the peak of the bridge as a memorial to the children. One body was found Saturday morning near Pont Aux Pins and one on Sunday near Bayou La Fourche Bay. The searchers indicated they planned to continue the search with the hope of finding all four.   Nearly every available boat from Bayou La Batre (home of the children) joined the search.   When asked why he chose to search, one of the volunteers responded honestly: “we are all here because we feel like it is something we must do; we all want then found, but I think we all hope someone else finds them.” The dark cloud of a truly evil act by one despicable person continues to haunt me, but the outpouring of love and caring by an entire community is a healing light. I am constantly reminded that all things exist in contrast; in the darkness there is always a little light if we look up.     *           *           *   A Bit of Closure  Part 2   The body of 2 year old Hannah Lung, last of the four children was recovered near Venice, LA, on January 20 th .   Jefferson Parish authorities stated they would work closely with Mobile County (AL) to have the body returned as soon as possible. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows has donated plots in their cemetery and donations continue for the funeral expense.    Mobile County Sheriff, Sam Cochran, said, "I have not seen such an outpouring of community support in all my years of law enforcement." It appears many hearts (including mine) were broken by this.              There is talk about renaming the Dauphin Island Bridge "The Four Angel Bridge" I personally don't support the idea, but understand the motivation.              Dauphin Island has a crime index of one (as low as it gets) this shattered an innocence shared by many. It would of course be just as tragic no matter where it occurred.             Bayou La Batre was hit hard by Hurricane Katrina. The community has struggled to recover. The canopy of giant Live Oaks that once shaded many of the streets was heavily damaged, but new growth has sprouted and the Spanish moss is returning. In time the community will also heal from this tragedy . The scores of volunteers have returned to their jobs or turned their boats again to sea to seek a living. We should all take heart that the spirit of small town America still exists.      *           *           *   Healing Part 3   Several hundred people attended the funeral, Saturday morning for Hannah, Lindsey, Danny and Ryan Luong the four children who have become known locally as “The Four Angels.” In the afternoon the family, with the support of local businesses, gave a dinner for the volunteers who searched so diligently and kept their vow to continue until all were found.               Children die every day from illness, automobile accidents, house fires, thousands die on the horn of Africa from malnutrition, disease, and tribal warfare .   The “talking heads” on the evening news serve it to us with our dinner. We find it sad, but it is such a common thing that we seldom stop to feel anything. Why were so many, including this writer, haunted by this particular tragedy?             It was a deliberate and supremely evil act by someone who was tasked to provided safety and protection. It is an act we cannot comprehend; a betrayal of trust completed in a most horrific manner.             For those of us on Dauphin Island it was also a loss of innocence. Dauphin Island is much less developed than Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and the Ft. Morgan area just across the bay. It is a sport fishing village and has support facilities for off-shore rigs, Coast Guard, and pilot boats. It has the Sea Lab facility and an abundance of beach homes and small cottages. It has been called “Mayberry by the Sea,” there is little crime, and the pace of life is slow. Some families can trace their linage to the first settlers in 1699. The island, named for the crown prince of France, is the oldest settlement in the area and predates Mobile and New Orleans. There are five churches on the small island, well only four buildings; the Church of God meets in fellowship hall of the Catholic Church.   Vicious acts against innocent children may happen on the six o’clock news, but no one on the island would believe it could happen here, until now.    The father, before his telephone privileges were limited, called the family from jail to boast he was not afraid of the electric chair and would be more famous than the 9/11 hijackers. In some primitive cultures those who, in some terrible way, offend the tribe are killed or banished, and their names are never spoken again. If I had my way this name would never be spoken or written, beyond the court documents necessary to convict him; he would be, the accused, the defendant, the convicted, and the condemned.   The spirits of these precious children will always be welcome to join me on my morning walks on the east end of the island, and I will listen for their laughter in the wind and look for their smiles in the sunrise.   “With every element of sorrow there is some measure of joy” The love and caring brought forth by this tragedy is in direct contrast to the act itself, and gives us hope and restores our faith in each other.   © Herman King
Waiting on the Glamour
(Tuesday, 09 October 2007) Written by Susan Cushman
Just discovered Patti Callahan Henry's blog at http://www.patticallahanhenry.com/blog/blog.asp ... love her post (which is also on A Good Blog is Hard to Find today) called "Waiting on the Glamour." She really hits on what the journey is like ... from the struggling beginning, where most of us are now, to the world of the published author, and she's still waiting on the glamour ... because it's really all about the STORY and the READERS. Her blog post made me want to read her books ... I'm ordering Between the Tides today.  Hope to see you all on the square in Oxford on October 27!
Creating with Words
(Friday, 21 September 2007) Written by Susan Cushman
Preparing for the Creative Nonfiction Workshop in Oxford next weekend (September 29) led by Lee Gutkind, I'm reading essays from In Fact: The Best of Creative Nonfiction. These words, penned by Diane Ackerman in her essay, "Language at Play," struck me powerfully:  When we create with words, in the literary arts, we raise the stakes. THen we stare straight at our inherently poetic version of life, make it even more vigrous and resourceful. Poetry, for example, speaks to everyone, but it cries out to people in the throes of vertiginous passions, or people grappling with knotty emotions, or people trying to construe the mysteries of existence.  Good stuff.  Have a great weekend, everyone! I'll miss you all tomorrow ... it will always feel like Saturdays are supposed to be spent up on the balcony at Square Books! - love to all, Susan


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