The Birthday Lunch That Wasn't

The 101 South Version of Hell

Twice a year, since forever, the four of us, friends since junior high (or in the case of two of us, elementary school), celebrate our birthdays at the Ivy. We set the date, and off we go, two of us departing from the Valley, two us from the Westside. But yesterday, things took a turn for Val, who shleps from Agoura Hills.

At 11:37, one foot out the door, I answered my cell:
"Hi, Val."
"I'm stuck on the 101."
"Oh, no, honey. Where?"
"Las Virgenes."
"What's going on?"
"I don't know. It's not moving."
"I'm so sorry."
"Will you let the others know?"
"Of course."
"I'll try to make it, but I'll be really late."
"Okay, don't worry. You'll get there when you get there."

As I headed over the hill, the group texts started:
Kyle: "Hi Girls, any updates on Val?"
Me: "Not yet."
Elena: "What's happening?"
Me: "I don't know."
Kyle: "Val? Are you okay?"

You can probably guess, Val didn't get there. Elena canceled the Ivy and the three of us wound up at Granville, the former Jerry's Deli, across from Cedars-Sinai Hospital. We still didn't know what was going on with Val.

Eventually, this:
Val: "Well, I am laying down on the back seat after hearing gun shots. I'm hungry and have to go to the bathroom."
Elena: "Oh, no!"
Me: "That's so scary!"
Val: "For shots fired... my hunger... or that I need a bathroom?"
Kyle: "All of it."
Me: "Yikes!!!"
Kyle: "Oy, Val."
Elena: "Stay safe."
Me: "Keep giving us updates."

When our wonderful salads arrived, we felt so conflicted. Here we were, enjoying ourselves while Val was stuck on the 101, hearing gunfire. When the warm bread arrived, with the delicious salted butter, the guilt overwhelmed us. A tiny tear trickled down my cheek. "Val would've loved this nice warm bread." Elena and Kyle nodded. "And the butter." "It's to die for."

Just then, another text from Val, perfectly timed: "I found a piece of gum."

It wasn't till lunch ended that we learned why Val, and God knows how many others, had been stuck on the freeway for nearly two hours. According to KTLA, "Authorities shot and killed a domestic violence suspect at the end of the pursuit that led from Camarillo to Calabasas on Saturday... The chase ended when the suspect crashed near Las Virgenes Road. A standoff ensued for nearly an hour. The suspect exited the vehicle at which time an officer-involved shooting occurred."

At some point, they let people off the freeway and Val went home. Later, she texted us this: 

Val: "... I was about 12 to 15 back from the front row of cars where the police were when he crashed his car. People were standing on their cars and walking around, including me, up until right before the shots. I got back in my car once I heard it was a pursuit and he had a gun."

Me: "Oy vey!!!!"

Elena: "OMG!!!"

Kyle: "This is completely nuts. So glad you're ok."

Val: "Love you all."

The three of us: "Love you."