Morbid Humor

Now, in addition to not using the school buses and other public transportation, it seems that New Orleans officials turned down an offer from Amtrack to move stranded citizens out of the city on trains before Hurrican Katrina hit.

This reminds me of an old joke I heard once that goes something like this:

There was this old country preacher that goes out on a particularly rainy day, driving around checking on the members of his rural Georgia church. As he drives his old car across a small stream, it becomes stuck in the middle of the rapidly rising water.

The rain continues to fall and the water continues to rise, flooding the interior of the car and forcing the preacher, still clutching his bible, onto the roof of his car.

A short time later a couple of fishermen come by in a small boat and, noticing the gentleman's distress, shout: “Hey mister, you need some help?”

“No”, replies the minister, “The Lord will take care of me…” so the fishermen reluctantly continue on their way downstream.

As the water continues to rise up around the preacher’s ankles, Sheriff’s deputies in a rescue boat motors up and offers to carry the preacher to safety.

“No, my sons,” he says “the Lord will take care of me…you go help the other stranded people…” so off the deputies go downstream.

Finally the water has risen so far that the preacher is clinging on to the roof frame, barely keeping his head above the water when what should appear but a rescue helicopter with a winch and lifeline.

As the copter hovers over the preacher’s car, he again waves them off saying “Don’t worry, the Lord is gonna take care of me.”

That’s the last time anyone sees the preacher.

Later that evening the preacher arrives at the gates of heaven, dripping wet and looking a little confused.

Saint Peter looks at him, then into his book, and finally says “What are YOU doing here.”

The preacher says “I don’t rightly know, I thought that the Lord was going to take care of me, wasn’t that the deal?”

Saint Peter replies, “Good gosh man, we sent two boats and a helicopter, what else did you want?”

This story reminds me a little of New Orleans Mayor Nagin, doesn’t it you?