radio gaga

2002-10-07 - 11:25 a.m.

Too many days spent with the ear perked to the news radio, waiting for updates and developments. The latest shooting at my old school...the place I've called hell for the last 18 years of my life actually becoming that for a 13 year old boy and his aunt this morning as he was shot in the chest. Too far away to catch the local updates on the radio so I stream over the web to keep up on the latest. Four of us, all in different cities, sharing line by line each snippet of update we hear.

there are helicopters EVERYWHERE!

the highway's still closed

schools have gone code blue

there are white vans and trucks pulled over and the cops are everywhere with guns drawn

He's at the hospital where I went as a child, terrified and in so much pain I couldn't understand. Where a man played the thumb piano to try to distract me from what they were doing. Where I volunteered when I was old enough to try to make a difference to some other scared kids. I know the trauma room where he will be now, open and bleeding. I know where his aunt will be waiting. I know the scratchiness of the blue smocks of the people who will try to comfort her, bring her coffee, help her find a phone and a reason for why this is all happening.

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Pretend it's 10th grade. Leave me a note.

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