Mary Grace is a Gulf Coast resident of seven years -- not long by the Coast natives, but long enough to be affected.  She purchased a home just three months before Katrina.  Located just north of I-10, her home was slightly damaged.  Her and her brother Paul repaired the damage.

She sold it several months later and used the money to buy another home just three blocks from the Beach in Biloxi.  It is a fixer-upper and Grace has become electrician, tile layer, plumber, carpenter and fence installer.

Grace is Agnes's daughter my step-daughter (I hate that term).  Last night (Tuesday) I called her to ask if I could spend tonight with her as I decided late to come here to listen to Secretary Mabus.

When I reached Jackson early this morning, I called Grace to let her know I was about three hours away.  I could hear her tearing up.  She walked from her home to the Beach where she was watching people, scores of them, cleaning tar balls--LOTS OF THEM--off of HER Beach.

Agnes talked to Grace after Katrina about moving back home.  She would have none of it.  Grace has become one of those Coast people I speak of.  She is visibly hurt by this oil spill as are many of these Coast Folks. 

This area is not so much about property (as many areas of the state is) but about a culture, a way of life that is tied to the sea.

The fortunes of many of our Delta towns is tied to the fortunes of agriculture.  For many of our smaller towns, fortunes have passed them by as industry which employed dirt cheap labor so eagerly promoted by businessmen has gone overseas long ago and agriculture has gone high tech requiring few employees and only those with the skills necessary to operate high tech equipment.

The Coast though, no matter how high tech, still employs ship captains, deck hands, shrimp processors, oyster shuckers, always have, always will.

Until now.  The late news is just reporting the demise of a popular bait shop closing its doors for lack of business brought about BP's blunder.  I doubt we will be seeing a complete loss of industry. 

No doubt inland folks will go with foreign seafood mongers to put seafood on their white tablecloth restaurants, but eventually business will return to the Coast.  Just how long is anyone's guess.  August 29, 2005 was Katrina's birthday.  Five year's later, its death has yet to come.

The Oil Spill Recovery for the Coast may, regrettably, be longer.

Grace has become a "Coast Person."  I am proud of her.