I was shocked and saddened by the events yesterday. Most publicized disasters don’t move me much. If I cannot connect to the victims, the event becomes a cipher. For me, earthquakes in the third world might as well not have happened. So, the London Bombings of July 2005 were different they did appear on my radar screen. I was in London in January 1973 for 2 weeks, and spent loads of time on the Underground. I can envision was a mess it was when bombs went off during rush hour. Rush hours are controlled chaos to begin with. Even these almost 40 years later, I have happy memories of my one and only trip there.
From 1980 to 2001 I was an active member of the AAVSO, I attended their annual meetings which were in the Cambridge area. I’ve driven through and visited Boston proper a few times (not too many because parking is such a chore in that area). I know the area well enough and I know and like the people. Now that I am in Minnesota and don’t get back East much I miss the way they talk. This part of the country means a lot to me.
Hearing the reports of the bombing made me sad and angry. Given the date of the bombing, April 15th, Tax Day, and the location, Boston, one can only assume this was a local event with a local actor. As much as one would hope this was some faceless foreigner, it is probably a neighbor who lit the fuse.
