Bomb Scare!

It is unnerving to receive a call from Maggie's nurse telling me not to worry if I see Maggie's school, Mission High on the news because there is a bomb scare. Maggie and all her classmates and the rest of the student body had been evacuated to Dolores Park just across the street. I appreciated the call and really didn't worry. I wonder why not?

About two hours later I received a second call which I assumed would be the "all clear" but it was not. The kids were still in the park and they didn't know when they would be allowed back into the building. Since they had to leave so fast, Maggie's feeding and other supplies were still in the classroom. I still wasn't worried but I grabbed a feeding tube and a can of food and hopped in the car to get her.

The school is on the corner of 18th and Dolores Streets and it takes about 15 minutes to get there - mostly because of the traffic lights. Today it took at least 30 minutes, the last 15 minutes I was within a block of them but couldn't get there. The kids were in the park on Dolores between 18th and 19th. I came down 18th and realized my error. Of course there were police cars everywhere and I could not drive in front of the school. The park blocks 19th street, so I went to 17th and of course could not come down Dolores because that too was blocked. I went around another block came up 19th,turned on Dolores and pulled a U turn mid block.

The kids were lined up in the shade and I asked which one of them thought calling in a bomb threat wa a funny idea on a beautiful Friday afternoon.( All the kids are non verbal). After Nurse Janice fed her, I loaded Miss Maggie into the car and headed toward home. As I drove up the hill on the far end of the park and saw the school below, it hit me. Even though Maggie was now safely with me, I finally got very nervous. What if something had actually happened.? *shudder* Delayed reaction, I guess.

We really are sitting ducks. Fortunately, we generally don't realize it and go happily about our day. Ignorance is bliss. I want to go back to ignorance. But in the meantime, I am certainly grateful for the organized and orderly evacuation of all the students. My daughter and her class mates are the most vulnerable of all and, once again, they were in good hands.

Here's a picture of Dolores Park and Mission High when it's not full of students escaping a bomb threat. It is really purty - and the weather looks just like that today.