Turning back Mr. Gustav
 
"Mr. ILLY, Mr. ILLY!" signed a little boy about seven running toward where ILLY, the Deaf-Blind clown sat taking a break on a bench in the business district of New Orleans.  "Mr. ILLY!", the little boy signed as he stood in front of the full-costumed dressed clown, " We need your help!"  ILLY, took in the little boy's concern and asked, "What kind of help do you need? What seems to be the trouble here?"  The little boy started signing faster with one sign catching ILLY's attention.  The little boy had just signed 'hurricane'.  ILLY knew a storm was headed for the area but he was not sure why a 7 year old was telling him about the storm.  The boy then signed 'make it go away'. 
 
Well, well, Mr. ILLY thought to himself, here I am a clown and this little boy believes that I am able to turn a hurricane around and shoo it back to sea!  Then a big smile crossed his face and his red lips outlined a heart!
 
ILLY looked at the little fellow's concern filled eyes and signed back to the little boy "Very well, I will try to do my best but I will need help from the New Orleans police and Coast Guard!"
 
Mr. ILLY then got in touch with the police and related his idea to them as well as with the Coast Guard.  Both law enforcement agencies were very skeptical but agreed to let him try.
 
So a Coast Guard cutter took Mr. ILLY out to sea and left him way out in the middle of the ocean at one of the areas oil drilling rigs where Mr. ILLY waited and waited for the storm to approach.  While he waited he was able to relay text messages back and forth with the Hurricane Tracking Center in Miami to keep track of when the storm might come his way.
 
After what seemed like ages, he got a text from the Tracking Center to let him know Hurricane Gustav was bearing down on him and fast!  He could tell it was close because he was getting drenched with rain as he waited.
 
Then he saw it, a huge black circular motion in the sky!  "Oh wow," he said out loud to himself.  "This is a huge one alright!"  He got everything ready to turn the storm back out to sea.  What was his plan to do such a thing?
 
Mr. ILLY knew what he wanted to do but he had to be certain it would work so he continued to wait until the storm was right there 'eye' to eye with him.  When Mr. ILLY was satisfied the storm was where he wanted it he started yelling, "Mr. Gustav, Mr. Gustav!"  The storm stopped dead in it's tracks and looked at the silly man sitting on the oil rig and said "Huh, what are you doing out here when you should be on land running for your life from me?"  ILLY replied, "Well, I probably would be doing just that but while I was on land in the city you plan to hit this little boy came up to me and asked me to make you go away because he wants to keep the city safe and keep his family safe since your mean sister, Katrina, really hurt his city, leaving so many people homeless and businesses damaged."
 
Mr. Gustav stood there thinking a bit and finally said, " I know what my mean sister did to this same city so now I want to do my part by making it more miserable."
 
"Hold it right there,"  Mr. ILLY said.  "That is no way to talk about how a little boy feels.  This little fellow has the right to love his city and his family.  He has a right to enjoy playing Pokemon and video games with all his friends as well as enjoying going to school."  "Now, if you slam into this city and do what your mean sister did then you will be hurting a little boy's feelings and sending all members of the Pokemon family into outer space, never to be seen again."
 
Mr. Gustav thought some more and finally said, "You know, funny man, I was once a kid myself so yeah, I know what you mean and you are right but my father is making me do this so I need to hit land to make him happy."
 
"Not so, Mr. Gustav, not so!"  Your father is up yonder in the heavens and he does not work like that, making you churn around and around like a silly drunk man.  All your father wants you to do is make it rain enough so the fields will grow and people will be happy with the rain you send.  They do not need destruction."
 
Mr. Gustav stood quietly for a while, deep in thought.  Then out of the blue he said, "You are such a caring man, funny man, that I think I will honor your plea and turn around, going back to sea and never come back."  "But I want you to go back to this city, find this little boy, and tell him  that I am truly sorry for causing him any worry and that I hope he can forgive me for the frightful moment." 
 
Mr. ILLY's heart swelled with pride because he knew he had tamed the storm and saved the city of New Orleans!  He told Mr. Gustav he would honor his wishes and the two shook hands.
 
Mr. Gustav turned around and with a wave of his tail and a mighty roar headed back to sea!
 
Mr. ILLY, the Deaf-Blind clown just sat there on the oil rig shaking his head at the wonderful scene that had just taken place.  He pulled out his text messaging device and sent a text to the Tracking Center in Miami.  Upon learning of the change in plans of the storm, everyone started yelling and cheering!
 
Soon, after having gotten word of the success of Mr. ILLY, the Coast Guard cutter showed up under bright and sunny skies to take Mr. ILLY back to New Orleans, where everyone had gathered to cheer his return.
 
When Mr. ILLY stepped off the cutter onto the pier there was the little boy standing there with a huge ear to ear smile on his face.  He hugged ILLY tightly and said "Thank you so much!"  Not knowing the little boy's name, Mr. ILLY asked him, "And what is your name, little fellow?"  The reply nearly shocked ILLY out of his clown shoes as the little guy replied, "Joseph Anthony Gustav!"

Written by: Illy, the Deaf-Blind Clown
August 31, 2008