Death
American Fork, Utah doesn’t seem a likely place for a terrorist attack. There’s not quite the same iconic visibility as the World Trade Center. If you stretch it a little, the 2002 Olympics are a possible target just a few months and a few miles away. Still, American Fork?
A couple of weeks ago, Shannon, the kids and I went to a custom frame shop to pick up a montage of photos from our Yellowstone trip. Shannon had ordered it a while back to send as a thank you gift to her parents. Then we went next door to Smith’s to get a couple of groceries. We weren’t in too much of a hurry, so I let the kids dawdle a little.
Later in the evening, Shannon and I drove by there again on our way out to dinner. We noticed a news truck, a bunch of police, and other emergency vehicles. We kind of wondered what was going on, so we watched the 10:00 news.
It turns out that someone had set off a bomb in front of Smith’s. The news report says that it was a pipe bomb inside a large container of fertilizer. Fortunately, the fertilizer didn’t explode, so there wasn’t any significant damage. A woman was right near the explosion, but she was unharmed other than a temporary hearing loss. The news clip had an interview with the man from the frame shop we had just been to that morning.
The bomb went off at about 11:00 AM, which was within minutes of when we walked by where it was. It seems so hard to believe. Who would do that? It doesn’t take too many “ifs” for a real disaster: if we had dawdled just a little more, and if the bomb had exploded completely, for example.
So far as I know, the police and FBI haven’t had any luck tracking down the perpetrator. [Update Dec. 20: Two men have been arrested, with the thought that they were going to try to use the bomb to rob the store. See the news article.]
The 9/11 attacks were horrible, but many smaller tragedies happen every day. I’m thankful that this wasn’t one for us.
Fame
Some may call me a name dropper, but I met Henry B. Eyring of the Quorum of the Twelve, an apostle of God.
Eric and I were having family over for a barbecue and I couldn’t find any paper plates so I packed up the boys and headed to the closest grocery store — Albertson’s.
I was pushing the boys along in one of those rare peaceful shopping moments. I wasn’t ranting, “No, we’re not buying: candy, toys, matches put that back!” Nothing like that when I looked into the eyes of a very tall man. He was well dressed white shirt, tie, glasses; bald. He smiled and I smiled and that was all. We were just two shopping carts passing in the night — I mean aisle.
I continued with my shopping trying to look normal while in my head an agitated voice was saying, “That was Henry B. Eyring. Henry B. Eyring just smiled at you. Henry B Eyring shops at Albertson’s.” I told Ethan and Gerrit we had just seen an apostle.
At the check-out I noticed Elder Eyring over in the bakery. By now the voice in my head had turned reproachful, “Why didn’t you speak to Elder Eyring — introduce the boys?” I felt giddy.
Never one to miss an opportunity for bodily harm, Ethan was hanging perilously out of the cart. The woman ahead of me mistook him for one of her own three boys and began reproaching him. She soon realized her mistake and apologized but I told her she could discipline my children any time. Since we were talking I couldn’t resist pointing out Elder Eyring to her and we laughed about proper grocery store etiquette. Is it really stalking if you follow an apostle through the market just to see what he buys? Is it inappropriate to go up and shake hands?
Well, after I paid for my paper plates I noticed Elder Eyring was now also waiting in a check out line. I truly agonized for a few seconds over whether I should go back over to him or just leave before my children broke something I’d have to pay for. I wanted my boys to shake an apostle of the Lord’s hand. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. I took the boys over and said, “Elder Eyring I want my sons to meet you.” He was so kind asked their names and said they were fine young men and I cried — what a wimp.
After shaking Elder Eyring’s hand we left. I was feeling ebullient. The woman who’d been standing just in front of Elder Eyring caught up to me and said, “Was it really him?” Yes!
Now I’m left to wonder how Sister Erying gets her husband to buy milk and croissants.