As I facilitated a workshop today, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Jilda never calls or texts while I'm working unless it's a 911 situation.
When I got a moment, I pulled the phone from my pocket and glanced at the text. It was from the college Alert system. The campus in Sumiton where my office is located was on lockdown because of an "adjacent threat." It was kind of an ambiguous message, but I knew there was a threat of something serious.
After finishing the workshop, I called the college switchboard and they couldn't add much so I called the cell phone of the administrative assistant to the college director. All she said was that there was a threat made against a student at the middle school which is in close proximity to the college. The local police implemented the lockdown protocol to all the nearby schools until the situation could be neutralized.
After a few hours, they did a controlled release of the children at the nearby elementary schools which is where my great nephews Jordan and Anthony attend. When I called my sister-in-law at the middle school, she said she could not leave her office but that Jordan was taken to a local restaurant until his mother could pick him up.
I drove the state car much faster than I should have but I made a beeline to the restaurant to make sure he was OK.
When I arrived, Jordan and Anthony were both there with Anthony's parents. I breathed a sigh of relief.
Taking a seat at the table, the kids were fine. They weren't sure what was happening, but they were getting a free meal out of the deal and they were excited.
Anthony's parents didn't know anything about what was going down either. I couldn't return the car to campus until the lockdown ended, so I pulled up a chair to pass the time.
Both the kids were playing games on their iPads while they waited for their dinner. I have this thing I do with both of them when they are playing games on their devices. I ask if I can help and I reach over and randomly tap the screen, which usually throws them into a panic. It's an uncle job that I do
well.
After a few times, I reached over and "tried to help" but I knocked over my glass of ice water into little Anthony's lap. It startled him and freaked me out. I thought he would be upset, but he was fine.
As I helped the waiter clean up the mess I'd made, I got the text that the lockdown was over and I decided I needed to leave them in peace.
As Anthony hugged me goodbye, he motioned with his finger for me to lean over so he could tell me something. "Please don't help me anymore when I'm playing my game." I told him that was a fair request and that I would not do it anymore.
I got a late update saying it appears the lockdown was caused by a hoax. I'm glad that no children (or anyone else) were hurt, but it pisses me off that someone would think it was a good idea to scare the daylights out of a community.
When I got a moment, I pulled the phone from my pocket and glanced at the text. It was from the college Alert system. The campus in Sumiton where my office is located was on lockdown because of an "adjacent threat." It was kind of an ambiguous message, but I knew there was a threat of something serious.
After finishing the workshop, I called the college switchboard and they couldn't add much so I called the cell phone of the administrative assistant to the college director. All she said was that there was a threat made against a student at the middle school which is in close proximity to the college. The local police implemented the lockdown protocol to all the nearby schools until the situation could be neutralized.
After a few hours, they did a controlled release of the children at the nearby elementary schools which is where my great nephews Jordan and Anthony attend. When I called my sister-in-law at the middle school, she said she could not leave her office but that Jordan was taken to a local restaurant until his mother could pick him up.
I drove the state car much faster than I should have but I made a beeline to the restaurant to make sure he was OK.
When I arrived, Jordan and Anthony were both there with Anthony's parents. I breathed a sigh of relief.
Taking a seat at the table, the kids were fine. They weren't sure what was happening, but they were getting a free meal out of the deal and they were excited.
Anthony's parents didn't know anything about what was going down either. I couldn't return the car to campus until the lockdown ended, so I pulled up a chair to pass the time.
Both the kids were playing games on their iPads while they waited for their dinner. I have this thing I do with both of them when they are playing games on their devices. I ask if I can help and I reach over and randomly tap the screen, which usually throws them into a panic. It's an uncle job that I do
 |
| Jordan and Anthony taken last summer. |
After a few times, I reached over and "tried to help" but I knocked over my glass of ice water into little Anthony's lap. It startled him and freaked me out. I thought he would be upset, but he was fine.
As I helped the waiter clean up the mess I'd made, I got the text that the lockdown was over and I decided I needed to leave them in peace.
As Anthony hugged me goodbye, he motioned with his finger for me to lean over so he could tell me something. "Please don't help me anymore when I'm playing my game." I told him that was a fair request and that I would not do it anymore.
I got a late update saying it appears the lockdown was caused by a hoax. I'm glad that no children (or anyone else) were hurt, but it pisses me off that someone would think it was a good idea to scare the daylights out of a community.
Hoaxers like that piss me off too. It is a sick sad form of entertainment.
ReplyDeleteAt least the boys did not seem upset, but that is not a harmless hoax.
ReplyDeleteLoved Anthony's "request."
Stupidity has no limits! But the kids picture is great!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, that is so mean that someone would do that... there are too many scary things going on in this world than to pull a hoax like that...
ReplyDeleteI received an email from my daughters school last week to inform me that the school would be on lock down for one day that week as a test in case of the worst. I read it and thought, wow... the times have changed so much and not really for the best sometimes xox
If the children were not aware of what was happening those in charge did a good job. The boys knew something was going on but they were not unduly alarmed. It is also good that there was not a real danger.
ReplyDeleteThat hoaxer needs a damm good spanking! In this day and age it is not cool to create such fear. I think it was a good thing that you were there for yourself and for others
ReplyDeleteGrrrr ya just never lnow now days, so every threat is taken serious. Its a shame.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in high school, there was always a bomb threat on test day. The teachers wouldn't play into the game and made sure we were all there for the test.
Lisa
I'm glad the whole incident came to pass with no one hurt but it pisses me off too when someone does a stupid thing like that.I hope that this person get a taste of his own medicine to teach him or her a good lesson. Such inconvenience is costly for the community.
ReplyDeleteHope your weekend goes smoothly.
Hugs,
Julia
Very glad that all ended well. Sad to say not every story ends that way.
ReplyDeleteFrightening, but I'm glad it didn't turn out to be anything serious.
ReplyDeleteHow utterly scary!! I agree with Emma above.
ReplyDeleteThat's about as clever as making a "funny" bomb joke at an airport!!
ReplyDelete