The mood in the flood zone is shifting from survival to exhaustion. Everyone started with white flags waving for the media to notice that there was more happening than celebrities cheating on spouses. Victims gave status updates while their cyber friends acted as clearing houses for emergency resources. Resources trickled in and the media noticed that an entire city was underwater. Insurance rejections began. “We don’t cover that.” Anger and sadness is trying to take hold of the weary victims. The frustration is palpable in posts and tweets. One odd topic keeps reappearing. Car washes. Water is a valuable commodity that is needed for survival, but, in the midst of rationing, people are washing their cars. I know it’s wasteful, but I feel like the people washing their cars are the walking wounded. They are in shock and operating on auto pilot. They are trying with all their might to get back to some semblance of the life they had before the rains. I know they need to stop using water for things like cars. Getting angry won’t stop it. They just can’t help themselves. No. They are TRYING to help themselves the only way they know. Someone’s going to have to gently take their hand and redirect them to something else that makes them feel normal. Everyone needs a bridge from the old normal to the new normal.