La Sombra was kind enough to recall 09/11 for us, and to solicit others' memories of that day. La Sombra's comment, copied from today's LTE page:
Staballoy, et al:
Today, two days before the tenth aniversary of one of the worst days in American history, I am compelled to finally sit down and mourn the day of 09/11/2001. It was a day like any other day and like many Americans, I was at work. I left my desk for a short coffee break and as I made my way back to my desk there was an abnormal buzz through the maze of cubicles and phone banks. As I sat back at my desk I was told of the attack on the Pentagon and one of the towers in NY. I don't know why but at that moment I looked at my wrist watch and pulled out the little knob at 8:52 AM. That wrist watch is still in the drawer in my night stand, stopped at the very moment the heart and soul of America was attached.
I KNEW at that very moment that the attacks had to be the work of Osama Bin Laden. Just a week or two before, I had heard him on the evening news as having said that "America will get theirs".
My job depended on incoming and outgoing calls, but we had been asked to limit communications by phone so we were sent home after about an hour. I live in northeastern Winston Salem. As I got to Liberty St. driving by Smith Reynolds Airport it was an eerie drive home. No planes were moving in or out of the airport. I got home, numb for the rest of the day. Numb for the rest of the week. I ached to hug my daughter and yet unborn grandchild, but I couldn't. They weren't here, and I didn't know where they were. We had had a falling out and she moved somewhere and I didn't know where. I knew they were o.k., but I still needed to hug them. For what seems forever, I would stay glued to the TV for the next few days getting updates on the victims in the towers, the Pentagon and the one that crashed in the field, missing it's intended target. I watched the same scenes, over and over and over again. After a few days, Americans did not lose hope but began to mourn the loss of what we had.
But I couln't cry, I still don't know why. As I am writing this, almost ten years later, I am sobbing.
Ask anyone where they were, what they were doing ten years ago on 09/11/2001. If you are old enough to remember, post it here, let us know.
Thank you again, La Sombra.
ReplyDeleteI have two memories of the day. I was living in La Crescenta CA, then, adjacent to Los Angeles. I was in the shower, listening as my custom to the big news/talk station, KFI-AM. To my surprise, the morning host, Bill Handel, and his staff weren't doing their usual run-done of events while savaging left, right, center, and each other.
Handel was urgently reporting on the burning WTC, into which a plane had crashed. He was watching coverage on TV. I yelled to my wife (now ex-wife) to turn on the television, some damn fool had crashed a plane into the WTC.
Then, Handel yelled, "OH! MY! GOD! A PLANE HAS HIT THE OTHER TOWER!" I finished showering and raced to the bedroom. I saw both towers fall after I got to work. I remember being at work, remember accomplishing next to nothing.
I was here at home preparing to go discuss a real estate deal with an out of town contact. I didn't go and he never called me as to why I didn't come. Even today, when I see pictures etc I still get angry. Very very angry. We put the deal together about 5 weeks later.
ReplyDeleteActually, I have many memories of that time, but the other memory, which came to me early this AM, was of going with Mrs. Stab to see the movie "United 93", when it was released in 2006.
ReplyDeleteThe theater was about half-full (a weeknight), with most of the folks there around my and Mrs. Stab's ages. They and we sat silently through the movie. I don't think anyone got up the entire time.
When the movie ended, everyone sat stock still. Other than some people crying, the theater was completely silent. It was literally a few minutes before anyone arose. We all filed out in silence.
I think I'll watch the movie tonight.
Our office (which was in G'boro) had a guy in England to install and demonstrate our products to the London office at that time. We were really worried that he was going to have to stay there for a month or longer because nobody had any idea how long international flights would be suspended. We considered having him fly into Canada where one of us, or his future wife, would drive up there and bring him back. He eventually flew back about a week later and told us the Londoners "felt really sorry for us hillbillies." My other memory of that time is that we were bought the day before by a company in AZ which resulted in my moving out there the next summer.
ReplyDeleteI recall the exact spot on Yadkinville Road where I heard Murphy in the morning announce that a plane had hit the world trade center.
ReplyDeleteI had to go down to the Forsyth county court house to file some papers that morning, and all the TVs were turned to the coverage. I was very fortunate to able to conclude my business because the courthouse closed early that day.
I picked up my middle school car pool at 2pm and had to explain what had transpired to 3 six grade girls. They had seen some of the early events, but later the principal had instructed the teachers to turn off the coverage. I had to explain that 4 planes had been involved in the attacks.
I saw the World trade Center site (still a hole in the ground)in 2006. The controversial steel beam cross was still there, and it was amazing to see the Church that escaped the devastation and how close it was to the site.
I may check out the new World Trade Center building next weekend in New York.
Wordly
Hi Wordly.
ReplyDeleteYour reminiscence reminds me of what a difficult time parents, teachers, and school officials must have had when the space shuttle Challenger exploded, killing teacher Christa McAuliffe along with the rest of the crew. Who knows how many school kids watching, including her own students (not to mention her family).
I was a bit mad at Reagan over that. I remember when he said he was going to send a teacher into space, which seemed to be a fatuous bit of grandstanding, and take up an expensive seat, no offense intended to the late Mrs. McAuliffe.