Disturbing

A number of us were in Boston yesterday.  We went in to get s-faced at the bars, cheer on our home team to victory, and then wrap up the afternoon with a further assault upon our livers.  It's a grand plan, and one that will certainly be done again next year.

However, in the midst of the chaos of yesterday afternoons' events, what I found as equally disturbing as the carnage that some coward(s) had wrought upon innocent people, was the attitude of the revelers around us in the bars.  While the new stories were flashing updates and images of the havoc, most of the patrons around us seemed more interested in getting their next beer than in what was happening right outside the door.  There were no cries of horror, no hushed groups of people huddled and watching what was going on.  Only music which continued to blare, and people pressing forward towards the bartenders, trying to make their drink requests heard over the others.  People had died, only two streets over, and these morons only wanted another drink!

I found it sickening and wanted to leave, to go outside, to get away from these uncaring idiots, but the rumors were flying; there were more bombs being found which hadn't gone off yet, police were clearing the streets and telling everyone to stay inside where they were, the trolley system was shut down, etc., etc., etc.  As it turned out, only the trolley rumor was right.  But there were no other bombs (thankfully!) and folks had not been instructed to stay indoors.

At any rate, once word got out that we could actually go outside, the group's decision was to begin the 3 mile walk to the train station, and to just get out of town.  It was probably for the best, because after seeing pictures of the horrible injuries that people sustained, there wasn't anything I would have been able to do to help that wasn't already being done by someone else with much more knowledge and expertise.

I certainly won't forget yesterday's events, and sadly; it's not just because of the carnage, but also for the lack of care and concern for others' well being that I witnessed.  It was quite a sad commentary on things.