I remember the day clear as a bell. It was about 10:15 or so in the morning. I was on a roof participating in a progress meeting with Doug Dangerfield. We left Charles Orr School and Head over to JFK off 55th.
The sky was clear as an early fall day could be. I remember noticing all the planes coming in, and it didn't seem like any were going out.
We got to JFK and I had the radio on, when I got of my car, I walked up to Doug's Jeep. WIth a puzzled look he asked if I heard what was gong on. I had.
We started another meeting, and I wandered away to find the principal hollering then found the head custodian glued to a 5" portable black and white tv.
That meeting ended and I followed Doug to another. I don't really remember it.
I remember trying to find my way up 55th to the freeway with all the other folks around 12 that day.
My mother called me, she was hysterical. She had been trying to get me on my cell "for over an hour", she cried/mumbled/blurted out, I've never heard panic or terror in her voice like I did that day, not even the night I wrecked my car and called her from a ravine. I told her I was fine, that I was on my way home and that I would call her when I got there. I did call, and she seemed a little better, just a little.
For the next three days I watched footage and reports and clips and talking heads and pundits and the press and the president and congress sing "God Bless America" on their steps and I cried almoast as much as I have ever cired. Thinking about it makes me well up. My Dad called, he was in a hotel in Pheonix I think wathcing it too.
In spite of my comments on my thoughts of the events over on Jess' blog, it was a hell of a day. I remember it like the day I watched the Challenger footage in Mrs. Schupska's 5th grade class and the Columbia footage in Steph's living room; clear as can be.
I'm not ready to see the Twin Towers movie because of my thoughts or political leanings, I'm not ready to see it because I'm not ready to cry again. Just seeing the comercial for the movie brought all these thoughts to the top of my head. Seeing the satelite shot of Lower Manhattan smoking into the atmosphere gives me pause.
The day I saw the hole, I cried like a baby. I have the pictures somewhere, I don't like looing at them.
I'm not sure what happened that day, but I pray it never, ever happens again.
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5 comments:
I agree with you. I don't think in my whole life I will want to see that again.
Are you guys being serious?
It was the saddest thing I have ever witnessed in my life & I will never in a million years forget anything about that day. I get choked up every time someone even talks about it.
Are you saying it has no effect on you?
Serious? Yes, I'm serious
Well, maybe it was more Dave's comment that made me think he was being sarcastic. I mean who wants to see that again?
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