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Unexpected Pause

To those of you who thought I should be wearing tennis shoes for my Two Hat Day, I was wearing 3 inch heels, a swishy black skirt and a black and white “art deco” blouse. Before the morning was half over my feet were aching. A campus big enough to house 650+ students comfortably has a bit of sprawl. It’s quite a jaunt from place to place.

So, after I left the Kindergarten PD I still had 10 minutes before I was expected in class. I thought that would be a great time to visit the lady’s room, so I went to the teacher’s lounge. Almost the moment the door closed behind me the intercom flicked on. It was the Assistant Principal, “Ladies and Gentlemen, we are now going to Code 3. Secure your classroom doors.”

The P.E. teacher and the copy machine maintenance guy were in the teacher’s lounge. The PE teacher hopped up and locked the doors. We all sat to chat and wait for the drill to be over. We chatted for quite awhile. The maintence guy asked, “How long is a Code 3 drill?” The PE teacher said, “I don’t think they’re usually this long.” I asked, “Did the AP say it was a drill?” None of us remembered hearing that word.

We were silent for awhile. We heard foot steps outside and somebody rattled the door handle. None of us moved. We just looked at each other and waited. Finally the maintenace guy said, “Well, my tools are still in the truck, but at least I can open the machines up and get ready to work.” The PE teacher grabbed the newspaper and offered me a section. I took my sandals off and put my feet up.

A goodly time passed. The PE teacher said, “This has to be real. I wonder what’s happening?” I suggested he pop outside, then come back and tell us. He put his feet up and settled farther into his chair. “Naw, I’m comfy,” he answered. “Maybe later.”

About 10 minutes after that we were given the all clear sign. I slipped my shoes on and we went outside, each stopping like Weebles and rocking back on our heels. A police helicopter was hoovering directly above the school. “That looks pretty real,” I said.

Shots fired in the vacinity, we were told. Another teacher said what I was thinking. “You know, most of the time I hate these cinderblock walls and the fact that we have no windows, but today I feel pretty good about it.”

Quilly is the pseudonym of Charlene L. Amsden, who lives on The Big Island in Hawaii. When she is not hanging out with Amoeba, she is likely teaching or sewing. Or she could be cooking, taking photographs, or even writing. But if she's not doing any of that, she's probably on Facebook or tinkering with her blog.

18 Comments

  3. Good to see no one was hurt. Always good to err on the side of caution. Gave you a chance to rest as well. If it was me, I’d be all keyed up to get to where I needed to be.

  5. Holy cow! Is there ever a dull moment in your life? And what are you doing wearing heels? You know we are not genetically built to balance on the ground dependent on such a flimsy base? Yo?

  6. I have a feeling I wouldn’t like to live in a society which has Code 3 lockdowns, drill or otherwise. Maybe, QD, you should all be wesaring battle fatigues instead of fashionable clothes?

  7. LOL. One time I definately wouldn’t want to be wearing heels is when shots are being fired. Not that I ever wear women’s shoes.

  10. hi i’m so sorry for leaving a comment not related to your posts, but they are nearly impossible to read since your background has been deleted. I hope you’ll be able to fix the problem soon

  13. I thought it was quite a briiliant move on your part to plant a smoke-bomb in the airducts leading to your class, but this latest escapade takes the cake! How you actually managed to get the police to go along with your little plan to get out of class, I’ll never know!

    I realize you said you have a lot of catching up to do, but I’m not sure this is the wisest way to buy more time…

    😉

  15. how scary. oh i would have peed on myself i betcha..i’m glad you are all alright…

    what a stressful thing to go through but i may say that you must have looked good. oh, you should show off your beauty and post pics.. 3 inch heels..oh my, i can’t do more than 1.5 and that is pushing it…i love heels, they are so sexy but not for me.i have an aunt in LA, that woman can run with stelletos, don’t ask me how..

    btw, i’m totally in love with your family. i’m sorry but you have big competition, specially for Cyndra..Oh, thank you for introducing me to them. My blessing yet again.

  17. Wow do I miss things when I miss them. I was feeling so sorry for you with the schedule. Then came the code 3. In all my teaching I never had a day like that. My granddaughter did she was a student in the third or fourth grade when some guy was being chased by the police and they were afraid he would go in the school.

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