Friday, February 4, 2011

AREN'T WE SUPPOSED TO LIVE, LOVE AND BE HAPPY?

The other day, while in my apartment, I heard what I thought was not one but two helicopters flying around. I also heard sirens from either a fire truck or an ambulance. This wasn't that unusual, since the freeway is only about a quarter of a mile from our apartments and I just chalk it up to an accident on the freeway which is always the case. So I went on to do my daily routine, when about 12:30 PM I turned the TV on where they were showing the elementary school right next door to our apartments.

I was very shocked to hear that the Principal of the school was shot in the upper torso by the maintenance man. The Principal was taken away to our local hospital and died about a half our later of a fatal gunshot wound to the upper torso.

What's going on in this world? Here in this lovely foothill community, high above the crime of the Stockton, Modesto, Sacramento Valley area. This wasn't a crime about drugs or a lover's quarrel. So far, what we've been able to get from the media is a misunderstanding between two "friends." They used to golf together, do things together along with other friends. However, the maintenance man, in his 40's, married and we haven't found out yet if he had any children, was not liked by anybody. He was described as angry, hated the kids at the school and his job. Everyone of the parents who were questioned had nothing good to say about this man. But the parents and children had nothing but good and loving remarks to say about this Principal, a fair, wonderful, hands-on kind of guy who greeted the children at the school buses every morning and who played with the children at recess.

Of course, the school was on lock down when all of the chaos broke out. They've had drills on lock downs, so under their desks and tables they went. Kindergarten to fifth graders unaware, as well as their teachers and parents, not knowing what was going on. They were under furniture for almost an hour. Messages from the school were sent to the parents via cell phones, land phones, internet and the media. The parents were shown on TV not knowing their Principal was dead. They just wanted their kids as they were told conflicting information about where they should pick up their kids, since the school was going to bus them to either the county fair grounds or our local, and the first newspaper here in the west's, parking lot. Parents were on edge. Everyone texting and on their cell phones.

The hike/bike path where I go all the time, was quickly searched by the police and the swat team was also sent in initially while the killer just went back to his beautiful home and waited for the police to arrive to arrest him. Evidently, this man wasn't doing too bad financially, by the looks of his beautiful home and neighborhood.

All sorts of things could have happened while the suspect shot the Principal. He could have gone to the rooms with the children and kept shooting. He could have shot himself...maybe a better ending...save us from going through all the motions in a courtroom which is costing us taxpayers money.

The Principal had a beautiful life. A beautiful wife, who was a part time nurse, three beautiful daughters, one in college, a beautiful home, a beautiful personality and just everything working out for a man who worked his way up. He was from Utah, a Latter Day Saints member.

The motive for this senseless act? The maintenance man was not fired or his wages weren't cut. So far what is known is that the Principal told the maintenance man to go home and "cool off." The maintenance man did go home, got a gun and came back and shot the Principal. It is believed there was one child witnessing all of this.

Although I've never seen the Principal on the grounds, since everything here is hidden by trees, they show his photo on TV. Every photo they showed he had a smile on his face. This was a lot of photos they showed. The maintenance man was shown in group school photos. Everyone, except his driver's license photo, was with a mean or blank look on his face. Maybe this man should have been fired, since no one liked him, but maybe since friendship got in the way the Principal kept putting it off and treated this guy like one of the kids at his school. Reprimanding him instead of letting him go.

Mixing business with pleasure, in this case, was not the way to go.

2 comments:

Blue Shoe Farm said...

spring pics yet, Buffy? Waiting for all those great birds....

Unknown said...

I have pondered these senseless acts of violence. Our society has changed in many ways over the years. I am inclined to think that much of society's ills have to do with the breakdown of the family.

I love your expression...was it...patio restaurant?

~Marlene