This is one of those events where you'll always remember exactly where you were when you heard about it. For me, I had just pulled out of the parking lot of the wonderful Corner Butcher shop in La Verne, and was listening to the Saturday morning silliness on NPR's show, "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me." Paula Poundstone, Tom Bodett, and Carl Castle were in their element. Then, the broadcast faded out and NPR started fading in what appeared to be a live news story, regarding "the tragic events in Tucson."
Just as I maneuvered the car into the parking lot at Vons in La Verne, the NPR anchor announced the shooting at the Safeway in Tucson, and that Gabrielle Giffords had been killed. Gabby Giffords. The Scripps alumna. Class of 1993. Never before in my entire motor-vehicle life has a news story ever prompted me to slam on the breaks, gasp for breath, and stop breathing for at least 10 seconds. Until today.
I stayed in the car for an extra 10 minutes, listening to the news and trying absorb it all. I called Glen, who was at home getting David and Elizabeth ready to go to a friend's house so that we could catch a movie.
"Remember Gabrielle Giffords, the Scripps alum who is now in Congress?"
"Oh, yeah!"
"Apparently she was just shot and killed."
"Oh, shit."
"I'll be a few minutes late getting home."
I ran through the aisle of Vons, getting our weekly staples while entirely distracted. When I got back to the car, I flipped open my smart phone, logged onto CNN, and turned on the car stereo. At about that time I both heard and read that Rep. Giffords was alive, and in surgery. I breathed slightly.
When I got home, Glen and the kids were in the family room, and Glen had CNN on. David and Elizabeth could tell something was up. I asked them both, "did Daddy tell you what happened?"
"A person who went to your college got shot," David replied wisely.
"Yeah, it's sad, huh?"
"But she's still alive!"
"Yep, sweetie, she is, so we can hope for the best."
Elizabeth chimed in. "Mommy ... the lady who got shot ... does she have babies?" she inquired innocently.
My heart sank a bit. "No, I don't think so." I refrained from telling the kids that the news had reported that a child had been shot and killed in the rampage.
We piled into the car, took the kids to our friends house, and then proceeded to the theater to see "The Social Network." I'm slightly amazed that I refrained from checking my cell phone, looking for news updates, throughout the entire movie.
When we picked the kids up after the show (which was great, by the way), we told them that Miss Gabby was still alive and that the doctors were happy with how she was doing.
Elizabeth said, unprompted, "I miss her."
And this was, thus, another example of how much my kids amaze me. They take in more than we give them credit for, which is both good and bad. After about 10 minutes of listening to the news updates on KNX, I could tell that David and Elizabeth were getting antsy and a tad cranky. David protested getting pizza for dinner. Elizabeth claimed to have a headache. We turned off the radio and watched the beginning of the Jets/Colts game at Z Pizza.
Not surprisingly, Facebook has served as an incredible conduit of communication and support among the Scripps community, and I'm not just saying that because they happen to be my husband's employer. And the Internet has, of course, been a venue in which everyone and his uncle has offered up theories, hypotheses, and other insights regarding what caused this, what happens next, who is to blame, and how the vitriolic nature of our politicians, not to mention society at large, fanned the flames that led to this. I really don't find any of this to be helpful, but yet I found myself making the very uncommon move of professing my political opinions on my Facebook page:
I understand that I will likely invoke the ire of many Facebook friends with this statement, but as it stands this evening, I'm ready to repeal the Second Amendment. How on EARTH did the sick *!(!&#& who shot at my Scripps sister get access to a 30-round magazine for his 9mm Glock?
Then, I did a bit more web browsing. Turns out that Rep. Giffords is a gun owner and staunch supporter of the Second Amendment. A few friends posted very respectful replies to this effect. I then offered the following amendment to my statement which, for me, really is the key issue at hand here:
How (do we) best restrict gun access to those that are partially or completely un-hingned?
So, here we are, waiting along with the rest of the world for updates on the condition of everyone who was injured at the Tucson Safeway this morning. The Scripps College community, understandably, is in a state of shock. Regardless of whether we personally know Gabrielle Giffords is besides the point. I saw her on the Scripps campus back in 2004 as she accepted the Outstanding Alumna Award from our alma mater. Congresswoman Giffords was two years behind me at Scripps, and it's possible that she and I met while we were students, took a class together, or even shared a quick "hello" in passing. But it doesn't matter.
That the neurosurgeons at the University of Tucson Medical Center are "optimistic" about Rep. Gifford's recovery is nothing short of miraculous. I know that I am not alone in being both grateful for and awestruck by the incredible advances in neurosurgery that has enabled the medical establishment to be able to make such statements.
But, let me pause for a second to note that there was a tiny victim of this horrible event. My heart aches for the family who is now mourning the loss of their sweet nine-year-old girl whose life was violently and unfairly cut short. For this, and as a mommy, I am equally enraged.
Life is so short, folks. Hold your loved ones close. I promise to post on more upbeat topics next time. Meanwhile, thanks for letting me vent. I welcome your comments, reflections, and other musings.
Extremely well put Janel.
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