I don't normally write about current events...world events...call it what you will. But tomorrow is the tenth anniversary of 9/11, and I wanted to do a post about that day to remember its significance.
It's with a fair amount of embarrassment that I admit to you I was unaware our nation even possessed buildings called Twin Towers. Seriously. Had no idea.
The morning of 9/11, I was in a division meeting. Once a month (or was it once a quarter? I don't remember now) all the employees from Admissions, Financial Aid, Marketing, and whatever other departments fell under the umbrella of enrollment management would get together for a carry-in breakfast and an update on what was happening within the division. As people gathered to eat, I heard one of the Admissions counselors talking about planes hitting one of the Twin Towers. I had no idea what he was talking about, or where it was.
That was really all I heard about it until later that morning. I accompanied a friend (who was my on-again-off-again boyfriend's sister) to the doctor. She didn't want to go by herself, and I had vacation time to use, so I took a couple of hours and went with her. While she went in with the doctor, I sat in the waiting room and watched TV...and that was the first I really got to see what was happening - but even then it didn't sink in.
That afternoon, I had a dentist appointment, so while I had my mouth mutilated (aka teeth cleaned), I sat with my head smashed against the chair, eyes glued to the TV above me. While I was in the chair, the word came that gas prices were skyrocketing (probably to a price we would now consider a real treat), so my dentist advised me to get gas on the way back to work.
(I didn't. I didn't want to sit forever in line on company time.)
Back in those days I was a demonstrator for Stampin' Up! and that night I had a party scheduled in Kokomo. I asked the hostess if she wanted to cancel, but she said she thought we could still meet. The guests were mostly family anyway. They showed up - and most said they welcomed the diversion to leave the TV for a while.
I did stop and pay $2304829304830 for gas on my way home from that party, and when I finally got home that evening, it hit me. Something so horrible, it was beyond my comprehension, was taking over our nation, and I felt very unsafe, even in my little middle-of-nowhere home.
My parents were on vacation in Michigain, the aforementioned on-again-off-again boyfriend had been sent out of town for work, my roommate worked nights, and I remember just curling up in bed and crying out of fear more than anything else. I worried that something else would happen that night, and I'd be all alone - and no one would be able to get to me.
It took a while for the whole scope of what happened to soak in. Because I'd missed so much of the initial coverage, I began watching documentaries and news magazines nonstop - to try to understand what had happened. And I never could wrap my mind around an attack of that magnitude.
I can't believe it's been ten years...and that I remember it so clearly.
Where were you that day?
4 hours ago
11 comments:
I was on my way to the doctor's office to have my labs drawn for my physical the following week. I heard it on the radio after both towers had been hit, and the talk radio guy was saying that there are usually 30 - 50,000 people in those buildings, and then the first tower came down and then the second, and all I could think of was all those people... I parked the car and just sobbed in the parking lot for a while before I was able to go in for my labs.
Working at school and my supervisor told me what little she had heard. I went to a phone and called Jeff to tell him to go home and turn on the TV because something bad had happened. A friend was supposed to fly to NYC that day, but her plane was grounded in Kansas City right before takeoff.--Lori
Skye - I'd never heard how many people were often in the buildings...WOW. I did think this past week, as I heard almost every show I watched about it give the death toll...that it is just amazing how low the number was, compared to what it could have been. I in no way minimize those lives lost - certainly each was tragic. But between the people in the buildings for work, the people in the planes, the rescue workers, the people on the ground...it boggles me that more lives weren't lost.
Lori - I don't think I knew that story. I wonder why I didn't call YOU! You were home! (Unlike the parentals.)
I had just come home from an early morning class and my Dad, who was visiting for one of his doctorate classes already had the tv on. I sat down and watched the 2nd plane hit the tower. It was unreal. Just like SkyePuppy said, I hear the number 50,000 and I just could not comprehend it. I agree with you Bek, amazing that the number of casualties wasn't much higher.
Were you still working in the BO then? After thinking about it for a while, I remember Sandee getting a little black and white TV with rabbit ears and trying to pick up coverage in the afternoon.
I was in Kaimosi, Kenya. The bursar heard it on the 7 pm news (which would have been 11 am in the US) and walked down to the principal's home in the pitchblack darkness of equatorial Africa. The principal then walked up the hill to tell me and a colleague from New Hampshire. There were very few cell phones then in Kenya and the landlines were absymal. So there I was....9,000 miles from home, wondering how many more planes might be crashing, wondering what was happening across the country, wondering what it would be like when I returned in December, wondering if I would even be able to return. It was very difficult to comprehend. I had seen no pictures, only heard an account. I was scheduled to lead devotions the following morning in chapel. I stood before sixty plus Africans and 3 Americans and shared from Romans 8:38. The Daily Nation, the Nairobi newspaper, carried a few stories over the next few days...there were even Kenyans in the WTC that day. -Pat
Oh wow...I can't imagine being out of the country and away from readily available news. :(
I was at the office covering the phones for the meeting you were at...watching the coverage on the internet.
I didn't remember you were in FA already then! Time runs together for me....
I was at work, and nearly fell over when I heard and then saw what had happened such a sad day. I can't believe it's been 10 years either I still have a hard time watching coverage. I had a very good friend in one of the towers, but she managed somehow to make it out.
Phats, I didn't know you knew someone in the towers!!
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