Police Emergency

In class today, one of my students who lives down the lane from me and is a friend of Jeremy's told me that Irvine High had been locked down (or so he thought) and there was police presence on our block too. When I got home, I noticed the presence of a squad car and cop standing out on the road. There was just one car, no flashing lights, no roadblock. But just as I was discussing the situation with my son, the phone rang and one of those mechanical voices common to computerized message systems told me that some apartments close by were being evacuated, and that people in them were to go to the Chinese Community Center until further notice. We don't live nearby, or even in the same complex; it is next door. So I didn't worry, but then the voice told me to stay inside this evening. I still plan to go to dinner with my friend Liz (Gizbot) and out to see the opening night of Fiddler on the Roof at the college. I hope that isn't a mistake.
School today was rather aggravating, and I'd like to get it out of my mind for a few hours, so this outing seems the best way to do that. A number of my students are not showing up. Some, I am sure, are sick. Some have given up and will not return. There is another paper coming up, and if the students have not done the work up to now, it is past the point of no return as far as catching up is concerned. The earlier class is okay, though a bit smaller. The later class is full of people asking questions like, "Will we get extra credit for showing up?" I am not sure how to answer that.