ammonia

Yesterday I was walking the three blocks from my car to work, and it was like those scenes in Shaun of the Dead where it's completely obvious that something jacked-up is going on (i.e. zombie infestation), but the main character is so wrapped up in his own life that he fails to notice for way too long.  

So, there were emergency vehicles.  Fire trucks, police cars, "hazardous material" lorries.  I passed a fire truck and kind of though "Huh," then as I approached I realized that I was there were more people than usual milling around.  Then I saw that the street had actually been blocked off, and a pissed-looking police lady was yelling that everybody needed to go get in the alley by the Rosa Parks Way viaduct.  Firemen and police personnel were walking about nervously, some with gas masks, talking into their radios.  The activity seemed centered around the building next to the one I work in, but when I asked the police lady if I could go in that one, she said "NO" so I fell in line with the group of developmentally disabled people who apparently work in the other building and walked to the alley.  There I sat, feeling confused but not at all panicked, in a crowd of friendly 'tards.  I called the office and my coworker said nothing seemed amiss.  What?

Finally, after sitting for about 15 minutes, I asked one of the other (non-disabled) people what was going on, and she told me there'd been an ammonia leak in the building next to mine.  

The buildings are snug against each other, but not connected in any way, so I took my chances with deadly deadly ammonia and snuck around the block to the front of the building, where I got in no problem.  

It was just a very odd thing, sitting there in the pigeon-feathered, scrubby grass and not knowing whether there was a bomb or a gunman or poison gas or what, and not really caring.  It was a nice day outside and I didn't really want to be at work.