Twenty-Four Years Ago

A Facebook friend and co-worker sent out a status update yesterday reminding us former ESL'ers take a moment to remember the victims of the shooting that occurred 24 years ago. While I will never forget the shooting, the actual date had slipped my mind. I cannot believe it's been 24 years since seven innocents were slaughtered just so a jilted lover could "get some attention."
Those of us who were at ESL that day will be forever changed by what happened.
By the time Richard Farley had been apprehended by the SWAT team, we had a good idea of who had not made it out of the building alive. However, the next day when the official word came out by way of our HR representatives tacking a piece of paper with the deceased names on it, seeing their names in print was really difficult. I'll never forget the faces of my co-workers as we gathered to read their names.
I'll also never forget that some of my friends were trapped in M5 as Farley walked from office to office, shooting whomever he found, walls, computers, anything that he could. As they escaped and made their way out, I cannot tell you the feeling of seeing them alive and all right. It cannot be described. One friend was in shock. He kept saying over and over "he walked right by me." We're very lucky he is still here today.
We had a public memorial at ESL to remember our coworkers. It was held in the parking lot of M5. ESL in those days had several buildings. I remember seeing all of us - about 3,000 - making that sad walk en masse to that memorial. I also resented all the TV cameras, ready to pounce and film anyone overcome by emotion.
A few months later a memorial garden outside of M5 was made, and yet another ceremony in honor of our fallen friends. There was a waterfall, a memorial stone with their names on it, and seven trees planted. Some of the family of those lost also attended. I still remember the looks on their faces as if it were yesterday, as the shock of how they lost their loved onces was still clearly etched on them.
Years had gone by, myself and the majority of us continued to work at ESL, but we were never the same. Due to the tragedy, the changing economy, a new president, the company began to struggle. Layoffs ensued, the company shrank, was merged with other businesses, the name changed, and then finally what was left moved to another location.
I'd already moved to Missouri when I learned M5 had been razed and a new building now stands where ESL used to be. A friend told me the memorial stone had been removed, but there was office space where the garden once was.
While I've been back to California many times, I've never been able to bring myself to see the new building that's on top of what I consider sacred ground. Some times progress really isn't.
To read more of the ESL trajedy, you can visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Farley