I was visiting an Aunt & Uncle of mine yesterday, and my Aunt started telling us the story of when their house was nearly destroyed in a flood that happened about 4 years ago here in Houston.

My uncle happened to get up to use the restroom at about 4:00 in the morning, and swung his legs off the bed and they landed in about knee-deep worth of water!! Because there were no lights (electricity at all, really) he got disoriented, which woke up my Aunt .. and she realized that their house was filling up with water!

They live in a very old, predominately Black part of town ... and though they had their house rebuilt in brick, many of the houses there are still made primarily of wood.

There were two things that really stuck out with me about their story. The first was that, none of their Black neighbors came over to check up on them or help them out (my Aunt was in her 70's and my uncle in his 80's at the time!) Instead, it was a Hispanic lady in the next block that sent her sons to go and get my relatives. Each had my Aunt and Uncle hold on to them from behind, wrapped their arms around their necks and waded them through the water to their house, which was on slightly higher ground!

But the second thing she said was that while the water was knee-deep in their house, when she opened the door for the sons to come and get them, the water outside was nearly up to their waists! Then she said, "That's because they let the water out. It was full, so they let the water go."

Although I kinda knew at the time what she meant, I didn't question it like I wish I would have. But, I think what she was saying was that a nearby reservoir had reached its banks, and so the city released it, further flooding out the neighborhood!

I didn't get mad about it until today, 'cause her words kept repeating in my head. And I'm gonna call her today to make sure she was saying what I think she was saying .. before I call the city and find out why they would intentionally release water into an already flooded poor Black neighborhood .. and would they/have they ever done the same to a White one?

After that I may be on the 6 o'clock news ... 'cause y'all know I already don't have any sense ... and that gets multiplied when it comes to my family! But, if the City of Houston intentionally tried to drown my Aunt and Uncle .. there will be hell to pay .. and Houston is going to have one hell of a problem! And Ebony will be its name!

You go and do your thang gurl. You know we have to take care of our family...especially when they reach a certain age. You're sooooo right to be concerned and to find out exactly what's up with the city. That is sooo scary. ThankGod for those wonderful neighbors...eh? People like that are why the world goes 'round .