60) Bomb Scare

I was in the throes of another busy work day when someone casually pointed out that the police had cordoned off the streets surrounding our building. We went to the window and watched the classic yellow caution tape oscillate up and down gently in the wind. Hollywood provides plenty of reasons for caution tape, so no one was surprised. Until word made its way to the 6th floor that there was a suspicious package left at the bank on the first floor of the building, and that no one was allowed in or out.

This being my first experience with a bomb scare, I tried to be very cognizant of everything. As I looked down onto the sidewalk at the people angrily trying to navigate around the blockade, I couldn't help but picture what an explosion would look like below me. What it would feel like - the floor shaking, material flying up at us, heat? Would it be a small bomb, reserving damage to the first floor? Or would it be big enough to take down the whole building?

At the same time, it was unnerving knowing there was a potential danger below, and no seeming evacuation plan. What started as, "We can evacuate if we want," later became, "Everybody out." We collected our things and took the stairs down to the basement level. Outside, everyone was milling around (now that much closer to the maybe-bomb), looks of confusion on their faces. On top of that, they wouldn't let us get our cars out of the parking garage.

Eventually, the bomb squad came and dispelled the scare. No news outlet has picked it up (are bomb scares common in LA?) other than the Weho Daily, who pointed out that Michelle Obama and the daughters Obama were in the area playing LA tourists for the day.

Who knows if it was an actual bomb (they cut the blue wire and disarmed it!), or if it was simply someone's careless leave behind. Either way, it was a little surreal to imagine what could happen worst case scenario and to simultaneously observe how the situation was handled. There was certainly a disconnect.