Show N. N Orleans returnees stay put for Rita Ann M. M Simmons Los Angeles Times Jacquelyn Brooks-Brent Brooks and her family family family fam fam- ily were the last ones left on their block Tuesday refusing to evacuate for Hurricane Rita because they could not bear the thought of leaving home again just days after they were allowed to return We were in Tylertown Mississippi and then in Monroe Louisiana I just got back on Monday said Brooks- Brooks Brent 51 51 who fled New Orleans the day after Hurricane Katrina hit I 1 heard about Rita on the radio but Im I'm just praying that it goes away altogether er er This time Brooks-Brent Brooks her husband and two adult sons decided to defy Mayor C. C Ray Nagin's city citywide wide order to evacuate and remain at home on the 1500 block of Gen Ogden Street a short stretch of rundown houses in in Carrollton a neighborhood known locally as Pigeon Town The area survived survived survived sur sur- sur- sur Katrina better than others Their attitude mirrored that of many New Orleans residents who said they just plain tired of fleeing or no were had the means to escape Others longer reused refused to leave before Katrina and intention budging for said they had no Rita tired of running I just cant can't Im Tm just said New Orleans resident resident resi resident resi- resi do it no more Parker 53 after packing a af dent Pat collected collected colt col- col f 4 with water ice and food friends friend's car the theo center in distribution at t a suburb of Algiers I 1 West Bank city's I dont don't have no money to r run dont don't have I going to run to am car so where returned home last Parker who she evacuated before Wednesday said able to rent roo rooms o s sat and was hit Katrina Iberia Ibena and New Alexandria at motels Louisiana in towns that were spared Returnees Cont on Page 4 Returnees Cont Cant from front Katrina's wrath But now she was out of money And although her daughter andson and andson andson son living in Atlanta and Houston respectively had offered to pay her way she said she would rather take her chances at home You cant can't run from death Parker said If its it's for you its it's for you I believe in God Almighty I told my kids dont don't worry about me Many of the houses in Pigeon Town were spared significant flood damage after Katrina struck There was gas for cooking and water was trickling through faucets but it was not drinkable drinkable drink drink- drinkable able without boiling Brooks-Brent Brooks said The phone lines were still down and the neighborhood remained in darkness I I just hope and pray that they hurry hung up and get the lights on said Brooks- Brooks Brent explaining that the family used candles and anoil an anoil anoil oil lamp at night and kept the windows open for some breeze If they going to tell people to come back havethe have havethe havethe the lights on and the phone 1 I the lack of electricity and the absence of hustle and bustle that used to characterize this neighborhood neighborhood neighborhood neighbor neighbor- hood Brooks-Brent Brooks said she was trying to continue life as normal because she was confident confident confident con con- her neighbors would soon return I sit a little bit on the porch on the swing I water my plants I clean up a bit she said noting that her husband hus hus- husband band a construction worker had already returned to work If If we must go we must go Brooks-Brent Brooks said But I would like to continue contin contin- ue to stay here if I could Sean c ch oVio h r e rl a l. l n LOU J vA mothers mother's sentiment and said he hoped his friends would come home and help rebuild their city Its tragic what's happened happened hap hap- said Brooks 25 who walks with crutches because of a gunshot wound in his back he suffered two years ago But But its it's an opportunity if people put their foot down and not just depend on the government but come back and pitch in and we can make it much better here Across town in a working- working class subdivision of Algiers Ronald Raynal huddled with two friends drinking beer under the shade of a tree in his small front yard The retired plumber 64 returned Sunday from his sister-in- sister law laws law's s house in Baton Rogue where he had fled before Katrina ripped the weather boards from the side of his house and shattered the Kitchen windows Suffering and from Irom a longtime foot injury struggling to get around he saH said he h had n no plans to te leave town again because of Rita Its my jome home Raynal said If If Gods God's ready to take me he can tak take me |