So, you know how I said this weekend was really fun and I saw a lot of people I hadn't been in contact with for years? Yeah, it was great. I even made out with a cute boy who I've known for years and now lives in another state. And on Sunday? On Sunday I had a great day with my girls where we were all mellow and went out for a late lunch and then to see a girl movie matinee. It was all kind of perfect.Of course, today started out seeming like my day of reckoning. When I got up, it was February cold outside. Then my work day began with this warning system on our campus calling all the parents and students and cautioning them about an unidentified male who was driving around in his car and shooting a gun. There was no other info than that and not even a hint of a recommended course of action people should take. It just so happens that I answer the toll-free lines for this particular institution and the phone was ringing off the hook with understandably spazzy, freaked-out parents and students all looking for answers that I didn't have. Nice, huh?
It turns out that the man wasn't out driving around in his car shooting. Instead, he killed his wife and four children and then drove his car into a cement structure thing and as far as anyone knows right now, died in a fiery car crash. How sad is that? Because his kids went to school in my kids' district, they had a lock-down at all the schools here. Needless to say, it was a scary and stressful way to start the week.
The story of the guy, is that he had a coke problem and had just gotten caught embezzling half a million dollars from the bank where he was vice president. It's so tragic, it makes my heart hurt. The weird thing is that we were just talking about it this weekend with some of the old townies who were here for the reunion and went to high school with him. I think the guy was my age too. Crazy.
Anyway, after work, I decided to give myself a get out of jail free card day and not do anything practical or stressful, like trying to pay bills or solve world peace or clean my house. I did stop by my friend K.'s house and talk to her and her housemate J. Then I went home and watched a biography documentary called Joe Louis: America's Hero...Betrayed. I like boxing and I love watching stuff about boxers. I thought the documentary was really well done. So, I guess what I'm trying to say, is that I ended up having a nice relaxing evening despite how it began. The end.
14 comments:
Churlita,
I hate it when I can't solve the worlds porblems.
rel
I actually heard about that story late night/early morning..however. That is some crazy shit.
Back on the make-out trail. Good, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get back to it again! Best medicine.
I hadn't heard about that guy, but it's crazy that you were the one fielding the calls and weren't given any info.
Let's whip the public into a panic and then not give them any info. That's a good plan.
I miss girl movie matinees with my friends.
I kept typing "manatees" instead of matinee. Hee.
Good to see the powers that be reacting in a calm and measured way to a situation as usual. Time to get them a Keep Calm and Carry On shirt perhaps?
After that day of work, you needed a stress free evening!
I hadn't heard the story. I guess the newscast was too busy telling me all about American Idol and shit.
It is so tragic! It's scary that people were calling your office and you had no information. People must have been just panicked.
Bravo for being able to pull off a relaxing evening despite all that.
I heard about the Sueppel thing last night from my stepfather (yes, the guy is your age) and immediately checked here but you hadn't posted this yet. I wondered if you'd have to deal with those calls...ugh.
You know, Iowa City has had it's share of terrible tragedies. I think you guys need a break for a good long while.
See, I focus on the boy thing. It's good to kiss/date out of town boys. If you break up, you don't need to run into them!
There are a lot of sad stories out there. So many, in fact, that it's easy to start believing they rule.
They don't. That's the only good thing to know after a day like that.
It's a little callous, but whenever RFB or I hear about one of these murder suicide tragedies, our first reaction is to say "The asshole got the order wrong."
He must have been horribly depressed about the hole he'd dug for himself. But killing the wife and kids is the ultimate narcissistic kind of evil.
Like they had nothing to live for because his fuck-up overtook him.
Dang, I totally forgot about the Joe Louis documentary. I caught the end of it on Thursday, set a reminder for it on Friday then never turned on the TV again. Argh. I'll try to catch it tonight.
Good for you with the kissing the boy event. I am, however, refraining from asking any follow-up questions. I feel totally responsible for what happened with the last boy kissy thing.
That does sound like a scary, stressful way to start the day. But I'm glad you were able to chill in the evening...I think I have that on my Tivo.
I heard about that... Things aren't so good in the Midwest these days. Wasn't there a scare at UNI last week, too? And the Omaha thing a month or two ago? Seems like there's been more murder and mayem here in Sioux City lately, too.
Sucks, I tell you. Sucks.
REl,
I don't even try anymore. It's a losing battle.
Evil-E,
That's what they say. I'm trying to be better about landing on my feet after these things go bad.
Lady,
Yeah. It was really frustrating. It made me want to go see another girl movie matinee, er, manatee.
Mr Atrocity,
Exactly. I love it how they put everyone on spaz mode for no reason.
Tara,
I know. I'm glad I got one.
Not,
The whole situation was so sad. Those poor kids...
Poptart,
Exactly. Enough already. For such a small town, we really have a lot of freaky things happen here.
Nor,
Totally. I haven't talked to Erik since he dumped me. And this other guy lives in NY so that's even farther away. Plus, the other guy was really more fun than anything, I saw him the next day and it wasn't really all that weird or anything.
Booda Baby,
You are so right. It's startling because it's so odd that it happened at all.
David,
That's what I always think too. If they would just kill themselves BEFORE they kill other people, it would be so much better.
Fringes,
Don't worry your pretty little head about that. I had fun while it lasted. We're both incompatible, it just took us a while to figure it out. I have no hard feelings at all. Now I just want to find a guy who I would be compatible with. You know?
LauraB.,
I would love to have a Tivo.
Chris,
It's true. There's some bad juju going on in these parts of late.
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