Tuesday, July 24, 2012

A Little Nervous

Jeff went to see the new Batman movie last night, by himself.  I didn't have any interest in seeing that movie, even before the shooting.  We live in a small town that is pretty safe, but I still had that flicker of fear that there would be a copycat shooter that night.  I pushed the idea down, telling myself it was silly and we shouldn't let fear dictate how we live.

When he got home, he told me that just when the bad guy started being really bad, there was the sound of a chainsaw or a weed whacker coming from just outside the emergency exit door.  Eventually it did go away, and he thinks that someone was actually whacking the weeds out there.  Then later in the movie during a particularly quiet part, he said he swore he heard the sound of a 9mm being cocked in the back of the theater.  I don't know what that was all about, but he was definitely on alert, waiting, almost expecting something to happen.

I asked him what his plan would have been, had something happened.  Because of course, Jeff would have a plan.  He said his plan was to get down first, try to figure out the movements of the bad guy and come up with a way to take him down.  I wasn't surprised.  I was both proud and ... I'm not sure what the other emotion was.  I am proud to be married to someone who would try to take out the bad guy and save people.  (And Jeff really is like that, not just talk.  I've seen him react quickly to help people in crises.) But on the other hand, I would like for him to survive, and taking on a shooter doesn't give you good odds.

Then tonight we went to Chick-fil-A for dinner.  It was family night there, where a kids' meal comes free with the purchase of an adult entree.  There was also a clown.  Twice, a balloon popped, making a very loud, very sudden noise.  The first one really startled me and got me thinking about the shooting again.  The second one still startled me, just not as much.

I am so mad at this world we live in, where evil people cause terror and shatter so many lives.  I am heartbroken for people who lose loved ones to needless tragedies.  I am grateful for the gospel and the foundation it gives me.  And I am sad for people who have no foundation and flounder alone.

Not a very happy post, but definitely things that have been on my mind lately.  


2 comments:

Krisling said...

My best friend in the world lives about 20 minutes from where the shooting was, and she was at the midnight showing that night. Luckily I had no idea there was anything going on (we were on vacation) so I wasn't frantic over her, because I would have been.

I ache for the people that lost friends and family but at the same time I am PISSED at some of the victims. A 6 year old child? You're taking your SIX YEAR OLD to see Batman at midnight? It's a DARK and SCARY movie for an adult let alone a child! There were also a 4 year old and a 4 month old in the audience. That makes me so mad. If there is a movie that Nate and I both want to see, then we take shifts (if we can't get a babysitter.) Taking shifts and going to see separate showings while someone stays with the kid is a pain, but it saves money on babysitters and you don't run the risk of your child being terrified and scarred for life and also irritating the other theater goers.

Anyway no more midnight showings for us. There is nothing coming out that I want to see *that* bad, and I'm too old for that midnight crap anyway. I get that Jeff wasn't at a midnight showing but still. I also won't go see Batman. I didn't like the first two movies because they are much too dark and depressing for me. Harrumph. I'm an old prude but I'll be a safe old prude by golly!

Bethany said...

Yeah, I'm with you. So sad that that little girl died at a move I agree she shouldn't have been watching in the first place. I saw the first two too, and they were waaay too dark for me. Usually when Jeff wants to go see a movie, I'm all for it, even if I'm not super interested, but this time I wanted to stay home.