RESIDENTS CALM AS RIVER RISES

When the flood of 1993 forced him from his home at 1201 North Main Street last August, Raymond Smith lost everything but his sense of humor.

Having weathered one of the biggest natural disasters of his life, Smith figures the quality of his life has actually increased. "I still have my sense of humor and now I've got a house that's been upgraded quite a bit," said Smith, a self-employed neon sign maker who literally worked day and night to reclaim the home he had to abandon eight months ago.

"They say you can't take your work home with you," said Smith, indicating with a nod the garage just behind his home that served as his work place. He has since moved his business to Bloomfield Road.

"Well, my home was my work for about four months," added Smith, who has changed the look of the house considerably since the flood of 1993. The finishing touch was a nameplate just next to the front door. It reads: "The Smiths."

But both his sense of humor and newly-fashioned home could be tested once again. At 7 a.m. on Tuesday, April 12, the Mississippi River was at 30.9 feet, having risen 4.8 feet in a 24-hour period. If a three-day forecast comes to pass, the river will crest at 44 feet by Saturday, once again forcing Smith, his girlfriend and her four children to higher, safer ground.

"I guess if I had enough time for the next one, I could hire a moving company, jack the house up on stilts and wait for the water to go down," joked Smith, who was unaware exactly how high the Mississippi River was Tuesday afternoon.

"You say it might crest up to 44 feet by Saturday?" queried Smith, surprised but by no means ready to panic. "I think I'll wait a few days before I do anything," added Smith, who estimates he spent nearly $18,000 to rebuild his home after surveying the effects of 4-1/2 feet of water and a few feet of mud.

"I did most of the work by myself the last time, but this time I think I'll just have a contractor do it," said Smith, who indicated he would return to the same home if there were a flood in 1994. "I think I could actually save money this time because I would take the new furnace out along with the appliances and new furniture," he added.

Smith can keep his head and humor above high water because of his flood insurance, the help he received from the city of Cape and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). "The city was great, leaving Dumpsters along our street and the one next to ours for as long as we needed them," said Smith.

James Ford, 18, who lives with his mother, two sisters and brother in the home with Smith, appeared calm and even curious about the prospects of another flood.

"I guess I'm young enough that I know I'll survive it and be able to get back to normal eventually," he said. "I think it's kind of funny how these things happen. I was too young when the flood of 1973 hit, but the old man who lived here before us told us that the one in 1993 was worse," said Ford. "He said the water only got to the houses across the street and stopped. After we heard that we kind of figured the same thing would happen last summer. I guess we guessed wrong."

Ford indicated it took his family and Smith nearly four months to completely renovate the home. "It was kind of funny, but when we were putting in the heating ducts, one of the last things we did, I fell through the ceiling," said Ford. "After all the trouble we went through cleaning out the mud and making new doorways and even part of the floor, something weird like that happens. All you can do is stand there and laugh."

Ford said the only thing that wasn't fully restored was the lawn. "We've thrown all kinds of seed on it, but it never seems to completely cover the dirt," he lamented.

Joe Dumey, who rents a home just a few doors down from Smith, isn't looking forward to moving. "I just moved into this place six weeks ago," said Dumey. "I was looking for a home after living in an apartment for a while. Just when I found something I like, I hear that the water is up to a dangerous level. What a bummer. It seems like I just unpacked all of my things. The only way I could see any good come out of this is if I wanted to break my lease, and I don't want to do that."

Like Smith, Dumey indicated he would take what happens in stride. "What else can you do but deal with what comes," he said.

A woman who lives across the street from Smith and Dumey was not so willing to wear the face of a stoic. "I don't want to be rude, but I just don't think it's funny anymore," she said, her face creased with deep concern. "I'd really rather not talk about it right now."