[ computer
simulation ]
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A funny thing happened on
the way back to Seattle from Adria and Craig's
wedding in Ferndale. I was driving Chrystya's
rattly Safari van down I-5. Sarah was next to
me up front, Chrystya sat in back amid bags of
clothes and piles of DJ equipment. Two
sheriff's cars weaved recklessly through
traffic, driving like they wanted to be on TV.
As soon as they got past us, they flashed
yellow lights backwards and slowed the two
right lanes of traffic to a halt. We were
behind an old black van in the
second-from-right lane. On the shoulder
of the highway just ahead of the two stopped
cop cars was a third cop car which had just
pulled over a chopped-top pickup truck with
four people inside. They all had their hands
up and looked scared and uncomprehending at
the three police officers who were now out of
their cars (doors flung dramatically open) and
aiming two pistols and an M16 rifle at them.
What had these people done to deserve such
attention? It didn't seem likely by the looks
of them, but if they started shooting back,
we'd be directly in their line of fire, so
instead of reaching for my camera (which was
full, anyway), I hastened to join the flow of
traffic in the left two lanes which was,
surreally enough, proceeding serenely past the
tense situation involving uniformed men and
women with guns. Have you heard anything about
this? My first thought was perhaps it had to
do with drugs, but on later reflection I
started thinking maybe these were activists of
some sort. Or maybe they just weren't wearing
their seatbelts. In any case, I'd like to know
more. Anyone?
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