I am no longer employed at The Boondocks, not because I was fired, but because I am a sane person, who knows not to tempt fate. Bill is no longer an employee, too. Self-preservation is more important than making needed extra money. I hate that it ended the way that it did. A few weeks ago, I joked on the Eloisa/Julia bulletin board that the port-o-potties looked like a crime scene after my brother had wrapped the area in yellow caution tape. I had no idea that my joke was to foreshadow a future tragedy.
This past Friday night as I sat home with the kids, Bill reported for duty as the ID checker for The Boondocks. Up until 12:30 a.m., it had been a typical night at The Boondocks, with the occasional "Convicted Sex Offender" stamped across the random driver's license. The music was loud, liquor was flowing, and skank ho's were in an abundance on the dance floor. Then, all hell broke loose.
While standing between the entrance doors checking driver licenses, Bill heard a gunshot above all the other noise. Within seconds, two women ran through an entrance, screaming that gunshots had been fired in the parking lot. Boo, one of the bartenders and son of the owner, jumped over the bar and ran outside, as Bill flashed his flashlight to notify security of the problem. When security arrived on the scene, they found an African-American just a few feet from the entrance, lying on the ground dying from a gunshot wound to the head. As my brother knelt to check for a pulse, blood poured from the guy's mouth. Poor guy didn't have a chance. He died right there, lying on hard gravel and music blaring from inside the building.
The shooter had left the scene, but Boo had been able to see the tag number on the vehicle leaving the parking lot. Bill called 911, and an ambulance and the police were on the scene before long. Of course, the bar shutdown, but it took some time before everyone could be evacuated. The police were able to arrest two of the shooter's accomplices in the shooting. In fact, the two were apprehended at the Tupelo hospital because the shooter had accidently shot one of his friends in the leg when he was shooting at the other guy. The killer has not been arrested.
Bill is still somewhat shocked by the experience. I think that the image of the dead guy haunts him. Bill placed the chairs from the bar around his body to be roped off with yellow caution tape. I'm thankful that none of the shots entered the building. With the shooting taking place so close to the entrance, Bill could have easily been hit by a stray bullet. It scares me now just thinking about it.
All the men involved in the shooting, including the victim, had been in the bar a few minutes before the shooting. The victim's girlfriend said that her boyfriend and the other guys had argued the weekend before, and their argument had continued at the bar. They ran into each other at the bar and had gone outside to finish it. At least they took it outside. I can't help but wonder if the killer had been carrying the gun inside the bar. *shudder*
My heart goes out to the families and friends who have been affected by this senseless act of violence. I pray that they find peace.
So, after the events of Friday night, Bill walked up to my brother and told him, "You know that Misty won't let me come back." Stephen replied, "You don't need to come back. You have a family." Then, they discussed that there was no way that I would be allowed back, too. Like I couldn't make that rational decision on my own! Isn't it just like men to start laying down the laws for us mere females? I know that they are trying to protect me, but they need protecting, too. I did tell Bill that I didn't want him going back. I can't do anything about my brother being there. He needs a wife to control him. I worry about him.
This will not be the end of The Boondocks in my posts. I still have a few funny stories of patrons to relate from previous weekends. Sorry about not posting last Sunday. My kids and I were sick over the weekend. Long story there. I won't bore you with it.
Hope everyone's Sunday is relaxing and enjoyable. I think today is a good day to finally watch my birthday gift from my kids, the dvd of "Becoming Jane." (If I can talk the four-year-old into watching his movies on the TV in his room rather than his controlling the TV in the den!) I want something to smile about. I need something to smile about.
15 comments:
It was a night I will never forget, although I wish I could. It was surreal seeing all these people slowly exiting the bar. 10 minutes before they were dancing and drinking with no cares in the world. They filed past me in disbelief. Some told me to have a good night, some looked for the local cab number. Others cried, still others thanked me for doing what I was doing.
Boondocks is an enigma in the fact that it is a really cool social experience. All of the different types of people that come in this place make it odd but good in an unexpected way. We would have whitefolks, African Americans, and Mexicans partying together peacefully (for the most part). And over the past few weeks a couple of Middle Easterners had joined in.
I hope boondocks is allowed to open up again. I am sure the owner will be pressured to add extra outside security. I think it would be worth it.
For more on the story look here: http://www.djournal.com/pages/story.asp?ID=267511&pub=1&div=News
Misty, Great Writing!!!! Thanks for writing this.
Wow, wow, wow.
First off: I'm so glad that the BOTH of you are okay!!!
What a scary experience! My heart goes out to all involved and sympathies go to all the families who are now dealing with the afteraffects of this violence.
I'm glad both of you are out of there but do hope your brother's bar is able to open up again.
Ely, the worst of it is that I didn't have a clue any of it was going on until Bill called me on his drive home around 2:30 a.m. After he got home, he told me more and then told me to go back to sleep. Right! Like I could sleep after hearing about it.
The bar will probably open again next weekend, but I don't know how long it will remain open. I'm sure the residents of the town are wanting to close it for good.
Man, talk about a night to write about. I'm very glad to hear Bill was not hurt and that you weren't there.
And I wonder if you've watched Becoming Jane yet. From what I hear, it's not the most chipper movie out there. LOL! I sure hope you didn't depress yourself even more!
Terrio, you're right about "Becoming Jane." It wasn't as happy as I wanted it to be, but there were parts that made me smile. It was nice being able to watch a movie, instead of the Simpsons or Rocky and Bullwinkle. Colin gets on these kicks where he has to watch the same thing over and over again. Drives me bonkers sometimes.
UPDATE ON SHOOTING:
The killer turned himself in today to the police. His attorneys are the same attorneys who are employed by the school where I teach. The same attorneys that Oprah visited to discuss their client, the woman who killed her husband and drove to another state with her kids.
He'll get off.
Sigh.
Wow, Misty. I'm glad you and Bill are safe and weren't in the line of fire! What a tragic thing to be a part of, though. I can see how just being there would wig Bill out for a while.
The thing I keep thinking about is your comment that he called at 2:30 am on his way home. I HATE when the phone rings in the middle of the night. It is never anything good. Just hearing about that gives me that skin crawly feeling.
Ely, you are probably right. The justice system sometimes sucks dirty dish water.
Irish, I know what you mean with the late night phone calls. I dread them, too, because ususally you're having to rush to the hospital after you hang up.
I deleted Bill's post for him because he was concerned that he may sound defensive in it, and that was not his intention. I'm always on him that he NEEDS to improve his communication skills. You would think that a guy with a degree in communications would be perfect in this area, but then, he is male.
Holy cow. This has all the makings of a novel, Misty Jo---with a happy ending since you guys are okay. My son-in-law owns a sports bar and there are the rare fist fights, nothing like this horrible thing though. Hope everything works out judicially and psychologically for everyone involved. Thinking of you all!
I have that communications degree, Misty. It's no guarantee.
Once on the air I made the dumbest joke imaginable. A woman had called and said a van hit a tree along the interstate and everyone was just standing around backing up traffic. I joked on the air that a guy hit a tree and the tree won.
Found out a couple days later it was much more serious than the caller made it sound and the man died. I felt HORRIBLE! Gah! Stupid mouth.
Maggie, I guess I could find a place for the story in the novel about my brother, "White Trash Gothic." It should fit right in. LOL
Terri, I thought that I was notorious for placing my foot in my mouth. I've had my grandmother follow behind me, apologizing for things that I had just said. Oh girl, I feel your pain. Did you have callers call to complain?
Yep, that's how I found out the guy died. Some caller wrote an email to my boss to complain. He forwarded me the message with the words, "Tell me you didn't really say this."
I wasn't about to lie so I just said sorry. What else can you do? I must have been in my 20s before my self-editor kicked in. We see here it still takes a day or two off from time to time.
update...
According to Misty's brother, the guy who died actually brought the gun into the club. This information makes me sick, because I should have caught it. (No, I am not blaming myself for anything that happened). He DID shoot one of the others. That victim's dad jumped the original shooter, took the gun, and shot him 3 times in the chest and face before helping his son to the truck to escape. The dad (age 41) has been charged with murder but is out on $10,000 bond.
The club is open tonight, but the will now have to close at midnight. This will spell the end of the club. Business really kicked in about 11:30 since it was the only place selling beer after midnight.
I want it to snow!
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