When I was in school we had fire drills and tornado drills. But the days of bomb drills were over. I have never ceased to be amused by the idea that having children crawl under their school desks would somehow protect them from the dreaded atomic bomb. Fire bombs? Maybe. Napalm? Perhaps. But not atomic bombs.
Here's how Sharon Doubiago describes her elementary school bomb drills in My Father's Love: Portrait Of The Poet As A Young Girl :
We had to learn to distinguish between the sirens to know the correct thing to do. The Bomb siren would go off and instead of lining up and filing out of the building to the sand dunes we had to jump out of our desks, throw our right arm up across the back of our neck to shield our selves -- the neck is where the Bomb's radiation will penetrate -- while maneuvering with the left to get under the desk. Being exactly between Los Angeles and Long Beach, being a neighbor of Douglas Aircraft and right on the Los Angeles River, at the very heart of the Basin, Hollydale School was a prime target.
When I worked at the nursing home, we had a book with instructions to follow in case of an emergency. The instructions for nuclear warfare were hilarious:
Stay inside. Do not open any windows or doors.
Yeah, a lot of fucking good that would have done.
Close the door! Here it comes!
Infinities of love,
Lola
i've only had fire drills at school, but my favorite alarm was the final alarm to go home :p
ReplyDeleteI'm just a tad too young for bomb drills. Robert Klein did a hilarious bit about the drills on his "Child of the '50s" LP. Fire drills... Oh, yeah!
ReplyDeleteMy personal belief is that the whole idea of those ineffective solutions for how to "protect yourself" from a nuclear blast was so you'd die in less of a panic. You'd be sitting there with your arm over your neck, or whatever, and feel somewhat safe up until the moment you were vaporized.
We had an air drill in the fine City of Baltimore that would sound every Monday at 1:00 p.m. Still to this day they sound it. Don't ask me what's it for.
ReplyDeleteWe had earthquake drills which would have been a lot like bomb drills except they are actually effective ;)
ReplyDeletehahaha yes the 2 inch think wood has magic powers and will save you. Didn't anyone ever tell you that?
ReplyDeleteGood points LOL! I guess when it all comes down to it, it doesn't matter if the windows and doors are shut. It just matters if you were a good shit or not *giggles*
ReplyDeleteMaybe it was supposed to make the kids feel better in some weird way. Make them feel like they could do something to keep themselves safe.
ReplyDeleteI had earthquakes drills.
ReplyDeleteLast year there was an earthquake, but I was too drunk to remember what to do. lol
these drills just served to scare people and make them feel more dependent upon our leaders to save us. in new york in the 50s, a peace activist named dorothy day went to jail for several years when she refused to take cover outside the police station when the air raid sirens sounded. by 1960, thousands were supporting day outside the police station by refusing to take cover and risking arrest. they had to finally cancel the air raid drills becuz of it.
ReplyDeleteThey saved my life once! At least I like to think so.
ReplyDeleteJaya, Good answer. That was my favorite alarm when I taught.
ReplyDeleteSilver Fox, If you don't remember bomb drills then you are not as old as your picture indicates. More flirting coming up.
Queen Bee, In Topeka they tested the tornado siren every Monday at noon. Or it might have been some secret signal to the aliens among us.
Padded Cell Princess and My 2 Pesos, Earthquake drills make sense as long as you aren't too inebriated to think. Someone I Love has experienced a number of earthquakes recently and says she finds them rather off putting.
Pat, You always know the answer. Thank God for you.
Elisa, I giggled out loud when I read your comment, you good shit you.
Allen, You're probably right.
Ed, I had never heard of Dorothy Day before. Very interesting.
Interwebs, Were you saved from an atomic bomb or something else? I'm a little confused, but that's normal for me.
How old does that icon make me look? I may change it ASAP.
ReplyDeleteFoxy, The avatar looks kind of like a 70ish professor.
ReplyDeleteAs Charlie Brown would say, "AAUGH!!!" Next month, I turn 55!
ReplyDeleteThen again, as Indiana Jones would say, "It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage."
Isn't it funny how the big guys think all of us peons are so stupid? If an atomic or nuclear bomb goes off we are just screwed. No shielding or staying inside will save us. Duh!
ReplyDeleteWe had tornado drills when I was in school. Sadly, I still tucked under my desk even when it wasn't a drill and only a "test" of the system. Bit embarrassing. :/
ReplyDeleteOh dear Frisky. We all make mistakes.
ReplyDeleteFoxy, That avatar is definitely too old looking for an almost 55 year old man.
Melynda, You are so right. What good would anything do? We can stockpile all the twinkies we want, but we won't be here to eat the food that can survive nuclear holocaust. Oh well. I hate twinkies anyway.
Heh. JUST changed it... for a few days, anyway.
ReplyDeleteLMAO!!! All my school had was fire drills x) I know that at most, gamma rays are blocked by six inches of concrete so I'm not sure what a desk will do
ReplyDeleteI did go through those drills in the 50's. I remember having to line up in the hall squatted down and our heads between our arms. I knew then that it was useless.
ReplyDeleteNow I say, squat down, put your head between your legs and kiss you ass goodbye.
Coffey, You got it right my man.
ReplyDeleteFoxy, You look younger. It's a miracle! Sell your secret and make millions.
Punk Chopsticks, Like Coffeypot said, All you could do is kiss your ass goodbye!
You just want me to become a millionaire so I can send you diamonds and a plane ticket.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFoxy, Of course I want you to be a millionaire so you can send me diamonds and a plane ticket to ENGLAND, my dreamland. Is that photo really you? If it is, you look like a pretty handsome dude. Do you wear the shades because you're cool or because you're blind?
ReplyDeleteThe shades are actually drawn on by my friend & writing partner, an artist. Long story.
ReplyDeleteEngland, huh? Only if I can go with you. Of course, after my buying diamonds and two plane tickets, we might have to stay in the same hotel room. Shame, huh?
Which is not to say that I'm NOT cool, of course...
ReplyDeleteOf course you're cool Foxy. You just go right on telling yourself that.
ReplyDeleteWell, somebody has to!
ReplyDeleteFoxy, If you buy me diamonds and take me to England, I shall call you The Fantastic Mr. Fox. I will not only share a hotel room with you, I will let you sleep in the bed with me . . . as long as you stay on your own side (well maybe we'd break that rule but don't tell Coffeypot and Allen).
ReplyDeleteOf course I'll stay on my side! (Doesn't mean you have to, though!)
ReplyDeleteAnd hey, if you want to read something about people on a motel room, check out my new post!
Uhhh, that would be people IN a motel room...
ReplyDeleteRead your post Silver. It's great!
ReplyDeleteThanks. Greatly appreciated!
ReplyDelete