Bomb Scare

A number of years ago a tornado passed through Salt Lake City, I was working for Governor's Council at the time doing the job I essentially do now which is answering the phone doing information and referral. I rarely leave the city for work and during the month I am gone from time to time participating in various meeting but I am usually round. But, on the date in question I was in another City entirely(Provo) I think for an afternoon meeting—I drove my van to make this meeting not getting back to my office till after 3:30 pm. It was early in the day the tornado past through causing terror and destruction to the Wasatch Front. I missed the whole thing, probably the only tornado to visit this area—ever and I missed it. I always wanted to see a real tornado. I think not only seeing this weather disturbance I also want to feel the anxiety of Nature's angst and the excitement of the moment.

Yesterday morning I was waiting for the train, my usual train. There is one train which comes just after the bus drops me off—this train is the University train. I usually wave this train past choosing to wait for the Downtown train so I was taken a back when the driver gos out of his way to ask if I wanted to board this train since all the trains were being halted at 500 South the Court House stop because downtown was quarantined, no one was getting in or out on the train—actually it was just one area of downtown which had been isolated and the train cold not get passed this point. Downtown was 'locked don due to a suspicious item found near the Federal Court house. BOMB!!

I don't know if it was a bomb threat or a bomb scare, regardless the event was being taken seriously by SLCPD and various other State and Federal agents. I was impressed that the transit authority were on their toes and had put together a number of bus bridges to get the train passengers from the train to their downtown destinations, awkward but doable. As our train pulled into the Court House station there were emergency type vehicles everywhere—ed, yellow and blue lights flashed everywhere and a lot of milling round by suites and uniforms. The air was filled with chatter,static and excitement—something was going to happen. I zipped down the ramp and over to my waiting bus which I found out was full and I had wait for the next. I called Frank at the office—I could tell I was going to be late for work.

My bus followed same route as the train, dropping me off at my regular stop. I was only about ten minutes late—which, I guess, is not bad for a city wide emergency. You know I was glad things went smooth and I got to my office and and had a smooth,low-key day. Maybe I am getting old but the morning was just the right amount of excitement—no one died, especially me, and I had something to write and talk about. Maybe I can live without tornadoes.