Laughing Amid The Storm: Texans Use Humor To Cope With Hurricane Harvey

AUSTIN, TX — Even amid the catastrophic flooding of Tropical Storm Harvey, which made its menacing Texas debut as a Category 4 hurricane, those living in the Lone Star State are historically able to persevere. From the decimating Galveston Hurricane of 1900 to the wrath of Harvey along the Texas Gulf Coast today, Texans have always demonstrated an indomitable spirit, awe-inspiring resilience and a reflexive move to help one another.

They also maintain a wicked sense of humor.

It's a gallows humor informed by the infamous oppressive heat of Texas summers spawning countless "It's so hot today..." jokes; the massive haboob dust storms of the Great Plains; strong winds of the Texas Panhandle; unforgiving drought across the Northern Plains; isolation amid Chihuahuan Desert landscapes of Big Bend Country in the Trans-Pecos region.

Texans know from climactic extremes. And while Harvey has taken everyone by surprise and gripped us in collective disbelief, that widely known, aw shucks humor—often expressed in a southern drawl or distinctive Texas twang—remains intact. A self-defense mechanism? Perhaps. Tactic of distraction? Maybe. A way to cope with extreme climate? Probably.

Whatever the reason for this endearing manner of making the best of things, that lilting levity has reared its grinning head in spite of Harvey. Missives from affected areas range from the guffaw-inducing to those coaxing a much-needed smile.

Amid reports that high waters in Harvey-ravaged Houston could dredge up alligators from the city's bayous, Stephen Hines took to Reddit with photographic evidence of a sighting. It wasn't an alligator in Houston but a croc, he reported—curious, given crocodiles are mostly native to the tropical regions of Africa and Asia. As proof of his close encounter, he posted a photo:

Another image depicting a Houston-area resident—a furry, four-legged denizen—has made the rounds of social media. The canine in the photo widely circulated on social media displays dogged resourcefulness and resolve to weather the storm as it clutches a large bag of dog food while heading for drier ground.

The Sinton, Texas, resident isn't a stray but something of a local celebrity in the Houston area for his antics. He may be beholden to a master, but Otis the Dog knows how to take matters into his own paws when the going gets ruff.

One Houston family with a house filled in ankle-deep water found a way to entertain themselves (and their Facebook followers) as they waited for the collected rainfall to recede. "Why go out looking for food when the food is coming to our living room?" Viviana Saldana wrote on Facebook after filming a family member literally diving for an errant fish that managed to enter the home.

Then there's the one about the priest and a boat. It's not the start of a joke, but a news story that's gained considerable traction across the ether of the Internet, shared among those most needing a light moment. Father David Bergeron of Houston commandeered a kayak Sunday while headed to the convenience store in search of sacramental wine for that morning's mass.

Thing is, the good father forgot about the Texas blue law prohibiting the sale of alcohol on Sunday before noon, an immutable ordinance putting a halt to his impromptu voyage. "This is how America was evangelized," the sheepish man of the cloth told a news station. "By canoe."

By way of New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie added some much-needed comic relief to Texans as well. The governor last month was pictured relaxing on a lawn chair at Island Beach State Park in the company of his family—a beach he ordered closed to the public amid a budget showdown with lawmakers.

The aerial photo of the relaxed governor has taken a life of its own on the Internet, condemning him to a starring role in an endless stream of memes appropriating the photographic spectacle of him sitting there on a beach he banned members of the public from enjoying themselves.

Texans have got a million of 'em, even in the anxiety Harvey has wrought. Driven by a pioneering spirit encoded within the DNA of every born, bred and buttered Texan suffusing them with a can-do attitude even in the worst of times, Texans revert to humor to help them through.

>>> Uppermost image via Wikimedia Commons