Eric experiences a shooting

Dear Blog Diary,

So this wild shit happened.

I live about 200 feet from a high school football stadium. They play rec soccer there throughout the week and the track is open to the public. I run on the track, and yesterday I was walking Kuma. Soccer games were being played.

I had been taking her to go potty on the side farther away from my apartment. Luckily, at this particular moment I was walking on the closer side, because at this moment I’m writing about, fireworks started to go off – a lot of fireworks. These were being shot off no more than 200 yards from where I was standing. Kuma hates fireworks probably more than anything on earth, other than maybe guns.

Turns out, those were guns. 

I know what gunfire sounds like, and truth be told, it’s usually 4 shots max? Kind of that “cack” sound and I can only imagine it’s a “shoot and run” kind of thing. Believe it or not, OTR is still like that. I live in West End. This was easily 20+ shots. 

So at first, I thought it was fireworks. I thought, “Fuck. Alright Kuma let’s go home.” Nah. So the soccer players and I all just looking, and then you could audibly hear the bullets zipping by!! No bullshit. You could also hear the bullets hitting the bleachers that were on my left. Do you hit the deck? Run? We all chose to run.

The funny thing is that Cincinnati District 1 Police Station is literally around the corner. As I run home in faster than marathon pace, (Kuma ran just as fast as I did) about 10 police SUVs drive by right to the spot. 

Another funny thing, I was on the phone with Ofori the entire time!

I have to admit that I was rather calm. Only sorta scary after the fact. So many take aways. 

That tomorrow is not promised. That this wasn’t even a fraction of a fraction compared to what even places in the US are like, let alone so many war driven places around the world. That just feeling safe for the  majority of your life is something we all take for granted.

I could go on. 

I’ll quote the Wu-Tang and say, “protect ya neck” everyone. Wu-Tang is the only thing that is forever. Maybe Keith Richards. He looks great and should totally be dead by now.

And don’t sweat the little things.

Best,

E

#ARTiculate