Friday, April 19, 2013

I'm home.

Well it's been quite a night and quite a day. I was up most of the night following the story. All the local stations and CNN. Not that I wanted to stay up but I could not sleep. I slept about an hour just before I had to get up at 5:30. I do remember hearing a sound in the distance somewhere between 10 pm and 11pm. I didn't know what it was but it sure sounded like it could have been an explosion. It turns out that was the explosion that occurred as the police and authorities were chasing the bombing suspects after the officer was shot and killed at M.I.T. They didn't say it at the time but my first thought was, "Is this the bombing suspect?". The news media didn't report it as such and treated it as a seperate incident. Not that I blame them. On the other hand when watching the various news conferences who ever was speaking, a police chief, FBI, mayor or governor would mention that they wouldn't answer certain questions and members of the press would go ahead and ask those questions anyway. Makes me wonder about their intelligence.  

I am not thrilled with my company either. Cities surrounding Boston have been closed off. All businesses were ordered to close.  Somerville the city next to mine was not in lock down. Though I have never mentioned it if you read my previous blogs it's pretty obvious where I live. I work in Somerville. If you drive about a mile up the road you pass the Museum of Science. In Boston. A little further up the road is Mass. General Hospital. Somerville was not in lock down. The parking lot of my store borders Cambridge. Literally where the parking lot ends is where the border between Somerville and Cambridge. There's a park, a hockey rink and the East Cambridge Health Center. You could walk to where the health center from where I parked in about 20 seconds. My company closed their Cambridge stores but they left my store open because technically we were in Somerville not Cambridge. Those money grubbing bastards. People were nervous all day. Here's a picture taken from my car while I was on a break listening to the radio.
 Here's the store.

 The police were a constant presence.
It's not a great picture but you can see the top of the Prudential Building from the lot. That's more or less where the finish line of the marathon is.
I was just at the Watertown Mall on Monday, the day of the marathon. There were helicopters overhead all day. The suspect lived four streets over from my store. Who knows he might have shopped there. One of my coworkers mother knew the M.I.T. officers who was killed. Even more sad, the aunt of the little boy killed at the marathon works in my store. She's the sister of his father.

Update It's now about 7pm and gunshots have been heard in Watertown. It's unknown what's going on at the moment. I'm going to sign off at the moment. I haven't eaten yet and I'm tired. If there is a conclusion to this I sure all of you will know soon enough.  
 

6 comments:

  1. I would be very tired too Paul. I couldn't have slept at all if all that was so close. You take care.

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  2. My heart goes out to you Paul for what you are going through right now. I wondered today if your store was on lockdown. Obviously it was not. It should have been as you all were not safe.

    Take care!

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  3. I just learned that it is all over and he is in custody. I hope you are able to get some rest tonight. Prayers for you.

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  4. Yes, I have not ceased thinking of you and wondering if you too were affected by the lockdown. I assumed you had to have been but I see from this you were not and that is a shame! How dare they take a chance like that!?

    Yes, we have the news regarding the second man and thank God for that. As for you..take care. YOu have friends here.

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  5. Now it's time for reflection.....so sorry about your experience.

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  6. Awful experience for you Paul, I do hope you can rest tonight.

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