This I Believe Essay
Jaclyn McNichol
ENG 100
This I Believe Draft #1
Due: 2/27/14
ENG 100
This I Believe Draft #1
Due: 2/27/14
Shots Crack the Peace
I believe in humanity. I was in Denver, Colorado when I experienced what would be the one scene that plays over and over again in my head. I remember leaving the apartment that morning with such high hopes. Murphy, my boyfriend, myself, Billy, his brother, and Ty, Bills roommate, all left that morning with huge smiles upon our faces. We were about to be a part of the first legal National Pot Smoking Day. We envisioned this as life changing; we were about to witness a movement.
All of us had gotten on the bus and headed downtown to the Civic Center where the rally was being held. When we arrived, I could not believe what I was seeing. There were thousands of people everywhere of all different ages. You could smell the cannabis in the air from a mile away. Bongos played in the background, as everyone danced along to the concert. Everyone was just ecstatic to be a part of this. I remember saying, "I'll remember this for the rest of my life." Little did I know, that would remain true for a completely different reason than I had anticipated. There was a huge concert that day, with all different genres of music, and people to speak out about the movement. I had gotten on Murphy’s shoulders to get pictures of the crowd, since we were right in the front. The little specks of people went on for an eternity.
We were just talking and enjoying the environment when the rapper Lil Flip, who was playing at the time, had stopped dead in the middle of his song and screamed "Oh shit, niggas is shooting!” Although I didn't hear him say that, the screams of terror were enough to let me know something terrible was happening. I turned around and froze. I had twenty-five thousand people running at me for their lives. I will never forget all the fear faces. I tried to steady myself as everyone rushed past me from safety. I turned to Murphy and asked frantically, "what the hell is going on?". Before he could even answer my question, we were both shoved to the ground. There was no getting back up. We tried to hide behind the gate that was once holding the excited crowd back, but was now trampled to a tangled mess. Billy had come over, and grabbed both of us up off the ground. Murphy looked at his brother with a stern face, and said "get her the hell out of here" before he was quickly knocked back to the ground. Before I could argue, Billy had snatched me up and threw me over the tangled gate. I kept insisting we go back for Murph as I’m being dragged through the vicious crowd. Not only was Murphy still back there, Ty had not been seen since before the whole incident started. We were now up and behind the stage. There was a couple hiding behind a car, where Billy left me to quickly go look for Murph and Ty. Right as he was leaving, Ty comes flying out from the stage. I was informed of the situation, people were shooting. No one knew anything more, so we were all assuming the worse.
It felt like a lifetime, but he finally came back with Murphy. Murph immediately fell to ground, which caused us all, including a comedian, to ask "Were you shot!?". He told us that a paraplegic man was knocked from his wheelchair, and crushed under the very gate we were standing on. Nobody saw this but Murph. He had jumped on top of the man to help shelter him from the rhinos above him. It was completely selfless. We all gathered, and ran as far as we could. We didn't make it far, before a herd from the opposite direction was screaming that they were shooting again. We took off down another street, where there was a body covered in the middle of the street. We found out later it was completely unrelated to this shooting, but you can only imagine our thoughts. We made it to the hospital which was about fifteen blocks away. All we wanted was to go home.
After getting home and settled, we quickly turned on the news to see exactly what happened. It turned out not to be a terroristic attack like we had thought, just two guys who had gotten into an argument that turned badly. I believe three people were shot in the legs, and a dog. It being not even two weeks after the Boston bombing had everyone on edge from the start. There were more injuries from the trampling alone. It was heartwarming though to see how selfless everyone had been; Billy getting me out of there, Murph shielding the paraplegic man and stopping to help people up, and just everyone in general just trying to look out for each other. When it comes down to it, there’s still faith in humanity.
All of us had gotten on the bus and headed downtown to the Civic Center where the rally was being held. When we arrived, I could not believe what I was seeing. There were thousands of people everywhere of all different ages. You could smell the cannabis in the air from a mile away. Bongos played in the background, as everyone danced along to the concert. Everyone was just ecstatic to be a part of this. I remember saying, "I'll remember this for the rest of my life." Little did I know, that would remain true for a completely different reason than I had anticipated. There was a huge concert that day, with all different genres of music, and people to speak out about the movement. I had gotten on Murphy’s shoulders to get pictures of the crowd, since we were right in the front. The little specks of people went on for an eternity.
We were just talking and enjoying the environment when the rapper Lil Flip, who was playing at the time, had stopped dead in the middle of his song and screamed "Oh shit, niggas is shooting!” Although I didn't hear him say that, the screams of terror were enough to let me know something terrible was happening. I turned around and froze. I had twenty-five thousand people running at me for their lives. I will never forget all the fear faces. I tried to steady myself as everyone rushed past me from safety. I turned to Murphy and asked frantically, "what the hell is going on?". Before he could even answer my question, we were both shoved to the ground. There was no getting back up. We tried to hide behind the gate that was once holding the excited crowd back, but was now trampled to a tangled mess. Billy had come over, and grabbed both of us up off the ground. Murphy looked at his brother with a stern face, and said "get her the hell out of here" before he was quickly knocked back to the ground. Before I could argue, Billy had snatched me up and threw me over the tangled gate. I kept insisting we go back for Murph as I’m being dragged through the vicious crowd. Not only was Murphy still back there, Ty had not been seen since before the whole incident started. We were now up and behind the stage. There was a couple hiding behind a car, where Billy left me to quickly go look for Murph and Ty. Right as he was leaving, Ty comes flying out from the stage. I was informed of the situation, people were shooting. No one knew anything more, so we were all assuming the worse.
It felt like a lifetime, but he finally came back with Murphy. Murph immediately fell to ground, which caused us all, including a comedian, to ask "Were you shot!?". He told us that a paraplegic man was knocked from his wheelchair, and crushed under the very gate we were standing on. Nobody saw this but Murph. He had jumped on top of the man to help shelter him from the rhinos above him. It was completely selfless. We all gathered, and ran as far as we could. We didn't make it far, before a herd from the opposite direction was screaming that they were shooting again. We took off down another street, where there was a body covered in the middle of the street. We found out later it was completely unrelated to this shooting, but you can only imagine our thoughts. We made it to the hospital which was about fifteen blocks away. All we wanted was to go home.
After getting home and settled, we quickly turned on the news to see exactly what happened. It turned out not to be a terroristic attack like we had thought, just two guys who had gotten into an argument that turned badly. I believe three people were shot in the legs, and a dog. It being not even two weeks after the Boston bombing had everyone on edge from the start. There were more injuries from the trampling alone. It was heartwarming though to see how selfless everyone had been; Billy getting me out of there, Murph shielding the paraplegic man and stopping to help people up, and just everyone in general just trying to look out for each other. When it comes down to it, there’s still faith in humanity.