Night at the museum

About thirty minutes into our recent visit to the La Brea Tar Pits Museum, my sister and I were approached by security and told we could not leave the museum. There was a disturbance outside, the doors were locked, the police had been dispatched and there was a helicopter overhead.

I was concerned, but not overly so. I took pictures of the museum's horse and waited for the scheduled presentation on short faced bears to begin.

By the time the presentation started, all the museum guests had been herded into that part of the museum. Staff members were still going about their business in the fossil lab, but there was a lot of security was present. I was beginning to have a funny feeling about things. 

Still, the short faced bear presentation started right on time. It felt like things were mostly okay.

Then, abruptly, they weren't. 

A guard came over and told us we needed to go to the theater and stay there. I looked at the fossil lab, and it was empty. We were officially in emergency mode.

As we were heading to the theater, my sister overhead a guard say the words "active shooter." 

She asked, "Did you just say there is an active shooter?" and he nodded.

"Oh, boy," I thought. "Here we go."

We went to the theater, but opted not to sit in the seats with the rest of the crowd. That seemed... unwise. Instead, we huddled in a dark alcove and strategized escape routes and better hiding places.

While we were waiting, we sent messages to our husbands and closest friends on silenced phones.

Following Erin's example, I also posted a generic, "I love you, man" message on Facebook. Sorry if that was confusing. I just wanted to make sure all my bases were covered.

It felt we like we were in that alcove forever, but probably, it was just forty minutes. Thank you to everyone who messaged me during that time. It really helped.

Eventually, a security guard came into the theater and told us we were free to get up and move around again, but please stay on this side of the museum.

We mingled in the area by the horse, short faced bear and fossil lab for about five minutes. 

Then a staffer came out, thanked us for our cooperation and said it was time to go.

They opened the emergency exit and told us to follow.

Even though it seemed like the danger had passed, Erin suggested that we might not want to be the first ones out the door.

We weren't.

The exit opened directly into the parking lot. There were police cars everywhere. We got into our vehicles and exited the parking lot. 

Our parking fees were comped. I looked at Erin and quipped, "Worth it!"

She laughed as we drove under the police tape and out onto the streets of Los Angeles.

It turns out that we were never in danger. A woman fired some shots in the park next to the museum. No one was injured, and she was eventually taken into custody.

Of course, we didn't know of that while we were inside. It was a scary situation, but if I had to go through that with anyone, I'm glad it was with my sister. She was great.

Also, I really do love all my friends.