True Story
A few months ago, I was on my way to sunny California with a friend who worked at Building 4300, the Civil Engineering building at D-M, also called "The Old Dorm." We stopped outside so she could print off a copy of her insurance before the trip. I waited in the car.
A few minutes later, an airman in camouflage stuck his head out the door. Looked right. Left. Looked directly at me. He emerged, shoulders stiff and hunched, hefting an AK-47, thankfully pointed downward. I'd never seen a weapon like that in real life. Sweat started on my forehead; it had nothing to do with the AC being off or the hot Arizona sun.
I had my ID on me, but it wasn't easily accessible. It was packed in the trunk.
The airman in BDUs tracked the perimeter of the building, body coiled, ready for combat. My breath was coming fast by the time he approached the car and tapped hard on the window.
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| Davis Monthan AFB |
"See some ID?" he said.
I stammered, explaining where it was. I made to open the door to get out of the car.
"Don't!" he barked as my fingers touched the door handle. "Stay where you are!" His gun rose slightly and I froze. He backed toward the building, weapon still trained just lower than my seat. His eyes were fixed on me until the moment he slipped inside.
I had no idea what to do. I could only hope it was a drill . . . Did I look suspicious? Was my ID expired?
It turned out to be a joke, I discovered when my friend returned, bristling but amused. "I told him it was stupid," she said.
"Yeah." I felt light-headed. "You think." Frankly, I was pissed.
***
There is an old, partially wood-body AK-47 hanging in the Civil Engineering Building at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, insides gutted and welded shut. The worst you could do with it is smash somebody over the head.
My suspicion: It made quite the national hoopla today.
My suspicion: It made quite the national hoopla today.
From various news sources: "Armed intruder . . . . Man carrying an AK-47 . . . Base is on lock down . . . Man holed-up in the Civil Engineering Building . . . No shots fired."
Quite interesting.. you have a lovely blog. Im glad to have discovered..:)
ReplyDeleteWow that was really a bad joke, you could have had a panic attack or something. Whatever happened to male strippers when it comes to fun thoughtful surprises?
ReplyDeleteI seriously doubt your story, although it does make for a good read. You really are a talented fiction writer, and it has shown through masterfully here. The problem is, this is how silly rumors get started. As an member at DM, I know enough about the events last Friday to know that, either you are full of it, or you were part of one really strange coincidence (building #, type of weapon, ect). It is very likely, in fact, that an actual disgruntled former employee did walk into 4300 with an AK. They did not find him, and hence the "official story", because they have no other definitive answer to give. Two independent witnesses verified the sighting. It was a real incident, without a real resolution. Unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, your two independent witnesses reported seeing a man with an assault rifle entering 4300. There was no way they could confirm any motive. As such, I believe the possibility of a prank gone wrong to be much more plausible than a disgruntled employee that takes the trouble to bring a weapon onto base and into a building to then disappear without incident. The base took the necessary actions based on the report, but I think it is you who is trying to make this seem to be more than it was.
ReplyDeleteGreat writing, btw!
ReplyDeleteA Random Guy,
ReplyDeleteExcept for the fact that several people in my unit know that this incident was tied to an employee who was fired recently. But I agree with your last post...great writing. I am just convinced it is fiction.
@Murugi Thanks for stopping by :)
ReplyDelete@Unikorna: Agreed! Male strippers would have been *much* preferred, though perhaps just as Air Force illegal ;)
@Anonymous @A Random Guy Thank you both for your praise of my writing. This particular story, which happened several months ago, isn't fiction. Whether my suspicion is, in fact, true that the lockdown was due to a replay of the incident... that I can't say. It's just a suspicion, with a pretty significant heap of coincidental parallels to make me stand by that suspicion as entirely plausible until actual evidence comes to the fore.
But thanks for the read! :)