horrified and...nope, just horrified

[brandywine28]

OK, so here's a sentence that, at first glance, just looks like a bunch of random words thrown together on the page:

Some guy pointed a gun at my mother's head today while she was...at the Medicare office?

But it's true. It's true and it happened and OH MY GOD. She'd just gone back out into the waiting area after her appointment, was pulling on her coat, when a dude walked in -- possibly upset about his benefits? I have no idea -- pulled a gun out of his jacket and waved it around a little. Then he looked straight at her and said "get outta here, lady, this has nothing to do with you", and...she did. She jetted. She ran like a gazelle. Knee problems? What knee problems?

The whole interaction lasted maybe seven seconds, and she passed a big clump of security guys heading upstairs as she was going downstairs, so presumably this all got shut down before it could turn into A Thing. And I didn't see anything about it on the local news, which, good. Good. But, still -- the Medicare building? Really? So, what, then? Should I just forbid her from going outside, ever?

Oh, Jesus, is this what it feels like to be a parent?

I think the adrenaline left her kinda punchy. We were talking about Bernie Madoff earlier (again: no idea), when her brain-to-mouth connection slipped up and she accidentally called him "Hurdy Burdy". It's been two hours and she's still giggling about it.

Comments

[pensnest]

How *terrifying*.

Yes, it basically is what it feels like to be a parent. To be aware of all the horrible things the world can do to the one(s) you love, and having to accept that they will go about in it anyway.

I hope the incident was sorted out without any blood shed. And that your mother is okay in the aftermath.

[brandywine28.livejournal.com]

Well, she sent me an email this morning with "Hurdy Burdy" * as the subject line, so...yeah. She's fine. :)

*We differ on the spelling of "Hurdy Burdy", she and I. My way is, of course, the correct one.

[zebraljb.livejournal.com]

OMG, Mommy! *hugs her*

Just carefully put a wad of bubble wrap around her (make sure she can still breathe) and then put her on a little shelf somewhere. Only take her down for bathroom breaks and meals. Make sure she can see the TV.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[brandywine28.livejournal.com]

Hee! Now where's that old football helmet? I know I've got one lying around here somewhere...

(I'm a Class 3 hoarder, so this is entirely possible.)

[solariana.livejournal.com]

How terrible! It's a horrible thing how many crazy people there are running around, a good many of them armed and dangerous.

I'm glad she's okay! I don't blame her for scooting ASAP. I would have been gone, too!

[brandywine28.livejournal.com]

Yes! If there's one thing you learn when you start taking the subway on a regular basis, it's that the world is FULL of freaks! I usually look upon the freaks with a kind of fondness, though. 'It takes all kinds', and all that jazz.

But not this time. Grr.

[starturtle0977.livejournal.com]

That is so scary. I can't even imagine. At the Medicare office. I'm so glad she is okay as that sounds like such a traumatic experience.

[brandywine28.livejournal.com]

I think she'll be fine, yeah. It's ME who's doing the freaking. :)

[turps33.livejournal.com]

Oh man, that's horrible! I'm glad to see she seems to be doing okay now.

[brandywine28.livejournal.com]

She called me this morning to rant about Kanye West, so I'd say she's pretty much bounced back. :)

But, yeah. Guns. Ugh.

Ditto on the wackjobs who run around pointing them at people.

[eponymous.livejournal.com]

Oh, how terrifying. I'm glad your mother's okay, and hope things ended well for everyone else involved, too.

[brandywine28.livejournal.com]

I know. I was Googling for it pretty furiously for a couple of days there, watching the local news, etc., and I never saw any stories that matched up, which...must mean no one got hurt, right? And so it wasn't worth reporting? God, I hope so.

Oh, and -- thanks. (Ugh. Ugh, ugh, ugh.)