Then I noticed a fire truck pulling in to the complex---lights and sirens whirring away.
Instantly my IPOD got snapped off and images of Sophie hurt danced in my head as I held my breath waiting for the loud speaker to call me to the children's gym.
No such announcement. Confident that I am just an overprotective, nervous, first-time mom and that Sophie is fine, I turned the IPOD back on to continue the race.
Then I saw a police car coming in following an ambulance also with lights and sirens. Hmmm. Now I'm thinking building on fire? Nope-didn't hear alarms go off. Oh, must be someone having chest pains or someone fell off the rock wall and potentially broke an arm or something. Poor guy. (In my head it's always a guy who gets hurt.)
Back to the races--I'm at 51 minutes, 561 cals burned, but only at about 4.2 miles. **Sigh** Only 9 minutes left and just about 2 miles? The thoughts of finishing were getting a little hopeless. Rage Against the Machine helped me along with "More human than is human" or whatever the song is called. (my angry work-out music)
When the second fire engine showed up followed by the fire chief AND 2 more cop cars I knew something must be up. Were they doing a drill? No, the lights and sirens wouldn't be on. Hmmm. That's when the trainers all came up to clear the fitness floor and shew us down to the first floor lobby.
OK. Now I'm panicking. Where's my daughter? What's going on? Get us out of here!
Ran down to kid's center-all is well except I cannot check out Sophie without my ID to prove who I am. Rats! Ran back to locker room to grab purse and ID and just when I am about to move out-a bunch of women start coming back into the locker room. We were all being sent here to sit and wait. No one in, but if we wanted to leave we could go through the pool to the outdoor exit.
Um, yeah, I'll do that as soon as I pick up my daughter.
"No I'm sorry, you have to stay here. "
I'm going to get my DAUGHTER! (and I'm an over-reacting emotional mom who's never left her kid anywhere but here.)
"NO-you can't leave the locker room unless you go outside through the back."
I almost started crying. WTH??? Why can't I just get my kid? I want to leave! Just then about 8 paramedics went by with a guy on a stretcher through the side door which happens to go out just past the kids gym.
Once it was gone I was able to go get Sophie. She was sobbing when I got to her, as were about 20 other kids and a couple of the employees. Apparently all of them had to go into the back of the gym where there weren't any windows. Sophie did not like this AT ALL! This is nuts--we got out of there.
Sophie goes, "Why didn't you come get me Mom?"
I started to really tear up as we left. I told her the second she wanted me I would always come. Today I didn't. Oh, I was so sad as I picked up my phone to tell Nate on the way home. Thank God is was pouring rain so no one could see my tears. Nate was all mad of course and told me that next time I should just push whoever out of the way and go get Sophie.
I left a message for guest services to call and explain themselves. I was so angry that because someone needed medical attention I couldn't pick up my daughter? I have worked at a health club and this sort of thing happens a lot at gyms. Why would they clear the floor and hide all of the members in the locker rooms AND terrorize the kids too? I wanted answers or I wanted a refund-we just joined 4 days ago for pete's sake. Is this standard procedure when someone gets hurt?
Nope. It's not. It was simply out of respect for the man who passed away! The manager called me back and said this had never happened, but if anyone perishes on the premises, the gym is shut down until the deceased is moved out of the building.
OMG!
I felt like the biggest jerk--but soooo sooo sorry for that man. How HORRIBLE!!!!!!!
Say a little prayer for that guy and his family. I can't imagine the hell they are in right now.
In the meantime, Sophie and I will be going back today so that we can move on--and hopefully she will forget all about it.
It will be a long time for me though--because the man I saw the paramedics with wasn't being taken to the hospital. God bless that poor man.
3 comments:
I KNOW I would have done the exact same thing. It would freak the crap out of me not to be able to get to my kids with all that going on. It freaks me out thinking about it.
That said...you rock for going back. And for helping Sophie forget about the whole thing even if you couldn't.
Oh how sad. And traumatic. Hope you get that image out of your head soon.
oh dear. I am not sure how they should have handled that....but honestly...I do not think they way they did was right. it caused much hysteria, and if you had only known what was going on...you'd not have been in fear for your safety or your child. ugh...
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