A Gentilly man says he is still struggling to process the experience of being sucked into a waterspout over Lake Pontchartrain and transported to the fabulous realm of Oz New Orleans.
Ervin Moore, 32, had been laying a new backyard patio this afternoon when he noticed a large waterspout forming near the University of New Orleans campus.
“I remember looking up and thinking, ‘That thing looks way too aggressive,’” Moore said. “Then suddenly the wind picked up, my cooler flipped over, and next thing I know I’m airborne spinning around.”
According to Moore, he was pulled several hundred feet into the sky for an untold amount of time before crash landing in a loud, unfamiliar environment full of music and flashing lights.
“The first thing I see is this giant muscular guy in red heels catching me before I hit the ground,” Moore explained. “The music stopped. Everybody turned. Somebody handed me a vodka soda almost immediately.”
Still disoriented, Moore reportedly asked a person known only as “The Tim Man” where he was.
“Baby,” The Tim Man allegedly replied, “you over the rainbow now. Welcome to Oz New Orleans. We got otters, wolves, cubs, and bears.”
“Oh my,” Moore reportedly whispered before fainting.
Several hours later, Moore says he is still trying to get back home ahead of deteriorating weather conditions, though transportation has become difficult after rideshare services temporarily suspended operations during the storm.
“The weird part is I was terrified at first,” Moore admitted, knowing he definitely was no longer in Gentilly. “But honestly, everybody’s been incredibly nice. Somebody complimented my eyelashes. Then, some guy named Chase told me I have ‘great energy.’ I still don’t fully understand what’s happening.”
Moore added that as the day went on, he began noticing strangely familiar faces throughout the club.
“And then it hit me,” Moore said. “The bartender from Mid City was there. My old gym teacher was there. My neighbor Kevin was there. Somehow, everybody was there. And they all looked fantastic.”