It was horrific, but inevitable. A raging grass file in the contiguous suburbs between Denver and Boulder burns out of control destroying hundreds of homes in a matter of hours thanks to hurricane force winds and a drought-stricken landscape. Shocking inferno images of a hellstorm destroying house after house consumed the local new coverage. A densely populated urban landscape surrounded by open spaces and small farms and ranches was defenseless.
I had been avoiding the news all day. After work I hit the gym for a much needed workout. While at the gym, an active shooter situation developed in the gym parking garage. The police locked down the building with the members inside. Neither the police, nor the gym management, would divulge any details. Most of us continued our workouts. What else did we have to do? We couldn’t leave. It was just another day. Just another shooter. A remarkable commentary on frequency of active shooters.
Turning on the news when I got home hoping details of the shooter would be provided. Instead, I’m slapped across the face with images of the fire, chaos and devastation. All this on heels of a maniac’s shooting spree which left five people dead in Denver and Lakewood on Monday. I watched the images for hours. The active shooter situation at the gym was never mentioned. Google searches produced no results. It was as if it never happened.
A disturbing destruction ending a year which started with a group trying to destroy our democracy. A chaotic year bookended by carnage.
Just before turning off the live news coverage late in the evening, I found hope. Hope in humanity. Strangers coming to the rescue the way people in the west know how to do.
Many people in the path of the fire had to set their horses and other livestock free in the hopes they could outrun the fire. A parade of trucks pulling livestock trailers was shown heading towards the fire in the darkness of night with the inferno illuminating the horizon. A caravan of about three dozen had come in hope of finding and rescuing the horses, cows and other livestock fleeing the fire. It brought tears to my eyes. Strangers risking their lives to save other’s livestock. It’s what one does in farm and ranching communities. The spirit of Coloradans coming together in the face of urban destruction and devastation gave me hope for a better future. Kind hearted people reaching out to help. An absolute day from hell ended with a civilian cavalry coming to the rescue.
The Corporate Slave 