John's Volleyball season is almost over.
It has seemed to fly by and has really been a most ideal season.
His team started out so strong and won most of their league games. They've been tough contenders against some of the leagues best teams the whole season through and now they find themselves approaching zones ranked third in the league. That really isn't too shabby.
A couple of weeks ago we had a most adventurous experience watching his team play at a nearby tournament. The kids and I had gone to Magrath that Friday evening to watch a few of the games. Everything was going just fine. And when I say "fine" I mean that I was watching John's team and the kids were all running around the halls of the school. (Yes, I was that parent;)
Anyways, about halfway through John's second set, Sam came to me and whispered to me,
"Mom. Can we get out of hear. I really want us to go. Right now!"
Feeling a little annoyed, I brushed him off and explained that he just needed to be patient and wait as Dad's game wasn't even close to being done. At that point Sam grabbed my arm and said, "Mom. The police are here. There is a man in the school with a gun." I could tell that Sam wasn't kidding. he was genuinely afraid. I got up and started to collect our coats and get the kids ready to leave out a side door. At this same moment, a few police officers and a school administrator entered the gym. The principal shut down the two games and got on a microphone. He explained to us that there was a serious situation going on and that everyone in the school was to stay in the gym. There would be no going out or coming in. They told us that under no circumstances were we to text or phone out. We just needed to hang tight until they could guarantee our safety.
The kids and I were up on the mezzanine and John was down on the floor with his team. Several school staff immediately began to tape black paper over the windows. We all sat in silence and wondered what was going on outside those doors. It was such a scary feeling and I regretted not listening to Sam earlier. (Apparently he'd been in the hallways when the police entered. They told the kids to go find their parents and stay with them. As Sam was leaving he'd heard the police exchange a description of "a man with a gun wearing camo." Gulp!!!
This all began shortly after 8:30 pm. By 9:00 the kids and I began to relax a little. Actually, they began to relax so much that I began to worry more about their levels of boredom more than the possibility of a raving lunatic with a gun. ;) In truth, after a couple of hours) and with three police officers guarding each door, we did really feel perfectly at ease.
Despite the fact that the rest of the games for the night were cancelled, a few of the teams began tossing around a volleyball. We watched, and visited and eventually everyone in the gym started getting on their phones and taking pictures.
(Everybody say Cheese "Lockdown!")
Just after 10:30, one of the officers told us that they felt it was safe enough to begin evacuating us to our vehicles. We were given instructions to gather our families and line up at 1 of 3 exits depending on where our vehicles were parked. They were going to let 20 people out at a time and we were to get to our vehicles and drive away. No stopping. No looking around. Just go. (Suddenly the idea of sleeping in the gym seemed like a pretty comfy idea;)
We all gathered by the exists and visited for another 40 minutes as we waited for the first group to go. We were all so anxious to just be home!
John and his team were one of the first out, the lucky ducks! There seemed to be a good 20 minute wait in between each group that got to exit. I was really starting to wonder what was going on outside that would cause things to take so long!
Just before midnight we (the last group) were allowed to leave. My friend Betsy had so kindly offered to stay back with me to help get my kids to the car. As our turn to leave approached they had grown increasingly nervous again, and frankly, so had I. As we ran to the van I was fully prepared to throw myself into a Rambo style dive roll, should the need present itself!
Fortunately, all was fine.
As we left the building we did as we were told and walked straight to our van, but not before noticing the dozens of cop cars, the police dogs searching the area, and the officers lining the street with how powered rifles.
We shut the van doors and the kids all helped each other buckle up (that's a first) as I drove away.
We were so tired, but really kinda wired too. As we drove home, I enjoyed a comforting conversation with Betsy and felt reassured that we are all blessed with family and loved ones on the other side of the veil who will protect us in times like this. I plan to remember that when future scary moments arise.
We got home just before 1:00 am and the kids fell asleep without even brushing their teeth!
They woke up the next morning still reeling from the drama of the night before. (John of course was only reeling from the fact that his team had been forced to forfeit their game. haha)
The police report was released later in the day shedding more light on what had actually happened. Turns out, a father of one of the Taber players had gone hunting for pheasants in between his daughters games. A Calgary coach had witnessed him transferring his gone from his vehicle to his wife's and had called to report that there was a man on school property with a gun.
The reality is that by the time the lockdown really actually happened - this man was most likely already back home in Taber.
I could not believe it!
All of that - for nothing!!!
I'm not saying it should have been handled any other way, I'm just saying it all felt pretty anti-climatic, you know?
And so was. My kids' first experience with a real lockdown. I hope and pray it will be their last!
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