Sunday I noticed I felt very tired and resorted to taking a nap late in the afternoon. That night I had a terrible time going to sleep and did not do so until around 3. Yesterday, at work, I dawdled around in the AM, and finally in mid-afternoon, I relized I might be sick. Duuuuuhhhhhhh!

I slipped off around 4:30 to hit the clinic before the post 5 rush. As I was waiting, a heavy-set man entered, signed in and within minutes was called to the window. From the bits of conversation I could catch, I could tell there was a problem with his overdue account. One phrase that I heard clearly was, "Don't be calling me up here to talk about what I owe!" I heard it clearly because it was said very loudly. Another few minutes passed, then the clerk asked him to step inside the office. In less that 60 seconds, the door was propelled open, and the man barreled out the front door. To say he appeared miffed would be an understatment. The first thought that crossed my mind was, "Holy Fuck! He's probably going to go home, get his semi-automatic, come back and wipe out everybody in the waiting room!"

Fortunately, I was quickly called back. Of course, I expected to hear gun shots, the rattle of broken glass, and high-pitched screams at any moment. The doctor said I had a recurrence of the upper respiratory infection of a couple of weeks ago. He gave me a prescription for an antibiotic, and I was soon on my way. By the time I got to my car, I was relieved to be leaving.

I drove a few hundred feet to have my prescription filled at the pharmacy. There were a number of people waiting, so it took about 20 minutes before my prescription was ready. As I went out the door, I looked up and who should I see: the man from the clinic! Yikes and double yikes!

Obviously nothing happened, or else there would have been something on the news. But people do snap. So dire thoughts can cross your mind. Oddly enough, several years ago, an executive was kidnapped, and the payoff was scheduled to happen in that parking lot. However, gunshots were fired, and the kidnapper was killed.

The reply was surprising. "Over the last 20 years, the homicide rate in states with the death penalty has been 50 to 100 percent higher that the rate in states without it..." The "Times" columnist was wise enough not to hazard a guess as to why.

One of the most intriguing was the The Columbine Research Task Force (CRFT) I had no idea so much was going on. At the very least, you can say that there are those who believe a cover up took place and is still on-going.

Were there more than two shooters? There are reports from eyewitnesses of having seen at least one other gunman. Bombs were found in the cafeteria, but no one saw the shooters place them there.

As with any event of this tragic magnitude, separating facts and truths from opinions and fiction is a herculian task. The CRFT gives some details on the process that should be used.

Not to end too suddenly, but my wee body is beginning to feel fatigued.

PAX!