如果你在休斯囤local开车，车辆稀少，蓝天白云，绿草如茵，Sprinkler system继续给草地灌水，完全是一个悠闲的假日下午。但是当你到达任何一个与主干线交叉的路口时，可以立即感受到肃杀的气氛。支路这边放绿灯时，主路上的车甚至不肯让开，表现出人们焦虑的心情。都说米国的月亮比别人圆，但是这两天晚上，虽然是皓月当空，却给人一种说不出的异样的感觉，似乎月亮也是云鬓半偏，花冠不整，周围则是一片愁云惨淡。

今天上午比较凶险，各条高速路上，人们有的已经等待了10小时以上，不敢开空调（可以多耗一阵）。城管部门竭尽全力打开所有可能的道口，还运来一些紧急汽油，拉那些眼看要抛锚的兄弟一把。我们这个集团，因为有一个baby，不敢质然上路，今天气温100度，如果汽油耗尽抛锚在路上，还不如呆在家里Take the chance。一个哥们打电话来说：他们凌晨出发，在US-290上开了14.5小时，前进了54英里，用了半箱油，是一辆Toyota Camery。问他何以能坚持如此之长？他说：嘿嘿，关了发动机，挂空档，推了一阵。这“一阵”有多长，不得而知。

到了下午，电脑Model显示：丽塔小姐将会向右转一点，以她的左胳膊扫过休斯囤。如果是真的，大休斯敦地区的压力将会大大缓解。由于这个消息，到傍晚时，交通也相对缓解了。路边社决定暂不撤离，明天再看，明天早上的电脑Model显示的，基本就是最后结果了。

下面是本社记者今晨采访Galveston的一个骑车老头。

记者：Hey, man! What are you doing here?
老头：What do you think I’m doing? I’m riding a bicycle!
记者：What are you riding a bike for? You should leave the town!
老头：What the hell do you think I’m riding for! I’m exercising for a longer life!
记者：Longer life? You life will be ended in two days! Don’t you know that Miss Rita’s coming?
老头：Who the hell is Miss Rita? And what the hell she’s doing with me?
记者：Miss Rita is rated XXXX!
老头：Oh, get out of here! Who the hell cares? I am too old for a show girl!
记者：我是西尔维斯！She is a hurricane to blow your head off, just like the one of 1900!
老头：妈呀！I need to get out of here.
记者：I tell you what. Get out of here. I mean now!
老头：How? By a bike? I don’t have a car.
记者：Ok, you stay with me.

真事，有相当不少的人不看电视也不听广播，据信Galveston现在仍有数千人，警方正在挨家搜索并提供车辆。下面是本社记者在Galveston 监狱的见闻（Who the hell decided to put a jail over there?）。

狱卒：Hey, man，come out. We need to get you out of here.
犯人：What? You mean I’m released?
狱卒：Ya right, you’re free to go. And you’re going to meet Miss Rita who’s rated XXXX!
犯人：你是西尔维斯吗？I haven’t see a nice girl for a while! But they told me I will be on trial next week.
狱卒：Miss Rita says you don’t need a trial any more. You will go to hell directly!
犯人：Objection! I know my right! I need to call my lawyer first!
狱卒：我是奇丁。We’re sending you to another jail because Hurricane Rita is coming. But if you try anything stupid, I’m going to blow you head off before Rita gets you.
犯人：Got it. But how about Miss Rita?
狱卒：Are you nuts? Miss Rita is Hurricane Rita, Hurricane Rita is Miss Rita, got it?
犯人：Oh, man! Let her hit me!

也是真事，因为警方认为犯人们在Galveston，已经Have nothing to do。

但是如果丽塔小姐向右转得太多，又要转到扭奥良去了，那里的哥们可再受不起第二次打击了。当然明天早上丽塔小姐也许会认为左边生意更好一点。最理想的是丽塔小姐从休斯囤和扭奥良之间穿过，这样损失会降低一个数量级。当然是没有丽塔小姐最好了，我们把丽塔小姐送给老咸菜吧。