Rampage Shooting Too Close for Comfort

The siren was screaming in the distance as it came closer and closer. I took note. Usually I think that someone has trouble and say a prayer for them. The urgency of the siren yesterday seemed more than usual, so I went to the back door, opened it wide and stood looking out over the wood fence at the back of our yard. I wanted to see what vehicle would be passing our house soon. The screaming siren was chilling to hear on our usually quiet street. It was a local police car traveling at an enormous speed. I estimated 90 miles per hour. It was dangerous. I thought about calling the police station and telling them that was too fast, that someone could pull out in front of them and be dead instantly. Little did I know what was prompting the fast speed, the police car, the screaming sirens. By the time it was gone, there was another one coming just like it, and then another. The sirens wouldn't stop. I couldn't leave my watchful post. Two rescue squads from Hartford passed with sirens screaming and lights flashing. A beautiful long fire truck passed. I knew something terrible had happened down the street. It had to be terrible. I stopped counting when car after car and truck after truck and suv after suv came by with sirens and blue lights flashing....unmarked vehicles, yet heading for an emergency situation. I stepped outside and heard a helicopter in the sky. Looking up I noticed it was not the usual Ft. Rucker Army helicopter, but rather a medical copter. I watched it circle around and come back to our local hospital pad and land. Trouble was evident in Geneva, but what was it? We didn't know.

Turning on the television to our nearest local channel 4 out of Dothan, across the screen rolled the terrifying information of South Alabama's greatest tragedy to date. I wish it would just go away. I wish it had never happened. A 27 year old man who had an excellent name and had worn it well, too young to die, too young to kill, too loved to hate, went on a rampage with assault rifles, pistols, and the news says he shot 200 rounds of ammunition at human targets. Many of his targets were those who loved him. He killed his young mother first, shot her in the head and then set their house on fire with her, and her dog in it. He came to the next town, Samson, AL, and shot his grandmother, his uncle, aunt, and others. Innocent people sitting on the front porch enjoying our first 82 degree day. Surely they must have waved to him when they saw him approaching, maybe even glad to see him coming for a visit. Then they might have seen the gun and just froze in disbelief facing the greatest horror of their lives. The young sheriff deputy's wife had just gone to the nearby store to get a soft drink. No doubt she walked since it was so close. She took her precious two children with her. She walked out of the store at the wrong time. He was passing and shooting and he got her and one of the children. The other one is in surgery in a Florida hospital. A man pumping gas dodged his bullets by getting behind the gas tank. Thank God the bullet didn't strike the tank and make it explode. He continued on toward Geneva shooting as he traveled. He killed 10 and then killed himself. There are several who are injured from his rampage.

I don't know what kind of charge, thrill, or euphoria he got from his spree of killing yesterday. I do know he has done damage that will never go away. Forever it is etched in the lives and memories of those who witnessed or heard the sirens, the shots, the screams. It wasn't worth it. He cheated a lot of people, but most of all, himself. He deserved better. He could have done better things with his life and gotten far greater rewards. By the time his soul passed from this life to the next, I'm sure he knew how stupid he had been. And there is no way to make it better now. It is a done deal. It is too late. And we weep.

Our Neighborhood Friends

I don't know what it is about little animals and me. Not long ago a beautiful tame rabbit showed up in our yard. I knew Bugs Bunny liked carrots and I thought this little guy might also, so I got a carrot from the refrigerator to feed him. He liked it. He liked it well enough to eat it from my hand. I fell in love with the little rabbit. It wasn't long until he no longer came to our house every day. Without doubt someone caught him and penned him up. I missed him.

Recently at daybreak Douglas and I was awakened by the crowing of a rooster. It had been a long time since we had heard that in the early morning hours. We got out of bed and went to the front, and there he strolled around our driveway telling everyone it was time to rise and shine. He was so pretty and very unusual to us. He was small but had lots of feathers down near his feet. I started telling him how pretty he was and he started coming toward me. I remembered at about 5 years old having a rooster try to spur me. I cried and bent over to cover my legs. Mother yelled for me to stand up or he might put my eyes out. Wow, I couldn't get away from him fast enough. I don't remember him ever spurring me though. Being older now, it never occured to me to be frightened of that pretty little rooster with the beautiful wake up call. I went and got bird seed and started feeding him. He liked the seed, and it seemed he liked me.

One day I showed mother the little rooster underneath a berry tree across the road. I told her to watch me and how he would come to me when I went outside. He saw me come out and he immediately stepped off the curb and started across the street. He came down the driveway and got closer and closer until he made it all the way to the porch where I was. He would follow us all over the yard. Sometimes it frightened me at how fast he could get near my feet. I guess I showed that fear because he started coming up to me sideways, and even today he ruffled his feathers someway making a sound that really got my attention. I could tell he wanted to fight me. Talking firm to him didn't work. Walking faster didn't work because he got faster too. So I took off my jacket as he stood and watched. I thought I would throw my jacket over him if he kept threatening me. You see I wasn't just protecting myself today. I had taken mother over to the church building on her wheelchair and I was more concerned about protecting her. Her skin is so fragile and I didn't want him to tear it. We made it into the house safely and I went and got some seed and once again fed the rooster. Little did I know that would be the last time I would see him alive. A large bird swooped down and killed the little rooster at the end of our house late this afternoon. I suppose he was hungry too and the beautiful little rooster provided him food. Somehow I think God also was looking out for us, protecting us, and I thank Him.