My goodness, that was a day and a half.
Toronto is a city under siege because of the G20 summit. People are on edge. The slightest bump in the normal routine sends folks into a panic. The alarmist ones first . . . but now even those who are generally calm, cool, and collected are getting a titch brittle.
Today there was a greater police presence throughout the downtown core than yesterday.
I discovered that my coffee shop will be closed on Friday. This is a crisis people.
Our building went into full lock down mode - no one in or out without a security pass. You had to be escorted in. The back entrance was sealed off.
At 9:30 a suspicious package was discovered at the next subway station from ours. The subway was closed.
Can you feel the collective stress level of the fine citizens rising? Can you?
We went out to lunch. When we got back to the office the entire intersection was swarmed with police. Ambulances arrived. EMS vehicles.
We hung about to watch the action but they moved on.
Looking up, we noticed police on the rooftops setting up platforms.
At 1:41 I was in a colleague's office where we were editing a document being prepared for publication. The entire building shook for close to 30 seconds. Dumbfounded we looked at one another wondering if a bomb had gone off somewhere.
Quickly, by accessing facebook and twitter, we discovered that it was an earthquake. It took the news outlets another 15 minutes to report the story. We do not have earthquakes of this magnitude around here. We're not 'used' to it like my southern Californian friends.
A colleague called from the street for us to bring her purse - she was going home. It turns out that she took the elevator down right after the quake - everyone knows that that is the safest way to escape an office tower in a disaster right?
The shrill sound of sirens rent the air.
The largest protest of the week marched down University Avenue. Environmentalists. There were more police than protesters.
Soon the weather networks were reporting a tornado warning for later this afternoon.
Really - suspicious packages, office lock downs, sharp shooters, earthquake, protests, tornadoes . . . all we need is a swarm of locusts and this will truly be farcical! It is too much, I say, too much!
For the record, I'm gonna crack open a bottle of wine tonight!
What a wild day! Enjoy your wine, because who knows what tomorrow will bring.
Posted by: Chris | June 23, 2010 at 09:49 PM
They are predicting an active hurricane season for us this year. I think its time you came for a visit! LOL
Posted by: Kendall | June 24, 2010 at 11:24 AM
OMG! What a nightmare! I can just imagine how freaked out everyone must have been when the earthquake hit! I would have freaked out by the earthquake alone but added to the G20 craziness. I hope it does not last too long.
Posted by: girasoli | June 25, 2010 at 03:55 AM
It was a wild day for sure - but I like those because they are interesting. It would be a shame if every day was the same as the last! Mind you, I cold have done without quite that level of excitment. *smile*
Posted by: JDeQ | June 26, 2010 at 10:26 AM