Like any other day at the office, I settled into my seat and unfolded the mark-ups that I would be correcting for the day. A old boxcar was in need of repair so I began the task of making the suggested changes to the drawing. I don’t remember what time it was, but I remembered that I had to go potty and decided to heat up some oatmeal for breakfast while I was headed that way. As I moved past one of the engineer’s desks, I heard his radio. Just some frantic chatter, I paid it no mind. Sounds like a fire somewhere or something. I did my business and set about heating up my breakfast. Now there were about 3 or four people gathered around the engineer’s desk speculating about something. I couldn’t really hear what so I finished with the microwave and went back to my seat with my oatmeal.
Paul Gwatney, the design drafting supervisor was at his desk on the phone. He finished his call and quickly put the receiver down.
“A plane crashed into one of the twin towers.” He said in a matter of fact tone. “My sister just called. Come check out this picture”
Paul had pulled up a news site where there was a picture of a plane about to crash into the tower. I remember how horrific it looked suspended there in the air like the angel of death. It was macabre. We made some small talk about it and I went back to my desk. My thoughts were only that it was probably just a horrible accident, a circumstance of chance or pilot error. I had no idea what lay in store.
A few minutes later Paul cursed, “Another one hit the other tower!” I didn’t know what was going on. By this time, the whole office was listening to radios and the television in the break room was on. It all happened so fast and suddenly; 0 to break-neck in an instant. I opened my desk drawer and pulled out my cassette walkman. I clicked the radio on and placed the earphones in my ears. Immediately, I heard the crackly sputtering news from the AM dial. No one really knew what was going on. There was a lot of speculation. I decided to see if I could get better coverage on the FM band. I moved my finger over the switch and rolled the tuning dial. Each and every broadcasting station was commandeered by its affiliate. You couldn’t hide from the news. I chose the station that came in the best, 98.9FM just as another frightening announcement came across the airwaves. I heard the frantic reporting, heard the sounds from on the ground as the towers collapsed. I was stunned.
By this time, the reporters were guessing what had happened. Reports rolled in that the airlines had been grounded. Stories began to surface about missing planes, and where they were headed. The White House, Chicago’s Sears Tower, any place of landmark and importance was given credence. Then, they began to report the toll. They began to report the horrors and the terror of what had just happened.
Soon, about quarter to 11 AM, the media announced that another plane had crashed into the Pentagon. I had a sick “out-of-control” feeling in my stomach. When was this going to end? How much more could we take as a country. Later we learned about the crash of flight 93.
At about 11:30 our boss came in to talk to all of us. He let us know that anyone who needed to could go home and admonished us to pray when we could. We stayed and work; no sense in going home. At lunch time I walked outside. There were few cars on the street and I looked up to the sky that by this time was empty. It was spooky and unsettling and a little too quiet. I headed home like I always did for lunch. I only had a little time to catch some news on the TV before I went back to work.
I listened to my radio for the rest of the day soaking up whatever information I could. When I got home I watched the television to see what was happening. I remember feeling sick about the whole mess. Roxy at one point had us turn off the TV to get a break from it all. The next few days were a dizzying blur of information, reports, corrections, rescue, death, and numbers.
But what I remember most was how we came together. Everyone was kinder, more outgoing those days. We all were shocked into an awakening of sorts. We all remembered, if for a brief moment, how precious life was. We remembered how much we needed to love our neighbor. And most of all, we remembered how much we love our country. Our resolve was strong and unwavering. Over the next several weeks we saw politicians actually act as humans. We saw the politics give way to humanity and common sense.
Sometimes it takes tragedy to bring people together. We are all still human beings and even the most cynical among us find a heart when faced with adversity. We are all, most of us, compelled to compassion and love for our brothers and sisters. I know I’m starting to sound really sappy, but I just want all of us to remember what it felt like that day. Remember where you were and what you did. Remember that you cried for people that you didn’t know and for people that you did know. And remember how we stood together as a nation, as a people, and as a family.
Mostly, remember those who gave their lives or were caught up in the maelstrom of violence and death. Remember the sacrifice by those people who lost or gave and who still do on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan. United we stand is not just a clever bumper sticker, It origins are in the speech given by a great president in a time of social and political upheaval. President Lincoln said that “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” And later during the second great world war, it was a slogan reminding all of us to stick together and fight the good fight as one.
I just thought that we should all remember today.
1 comment:
I remember where I was. I was working in dispatch that morning. I remember hearing the news, turning on the tv and watching the second plane hit the towers. I remember seeing the towers collapse and the looks of the dusty emergency people---looks on their faces that they knew their comrades didn't make it out alive. I remember getting the call that all the medical helicopters has been grounded and the call from Hill Air Force Base that they had gone to defcon delta. I remember going home that afternoon and waiting in a huge traffic line at the exit offramp because the entrance to the base was no longer "drive in as you please". I remember going home and hearing no trains and no jets flying overhead. I turned on my own tv and watched and cried. I remember where I was, I remember what I did and how I felt. To this day I have a hard time watching anything on tv that has to do with that day. But that doesn't mean that I don't remember the men and women who died in that tragedy. I've met retired fire personnel from the eastern seaboard who lost lifetime friends on that day. I was a firefighter. I know how strong that brotherhood is. It doesn't just reach across your own department, it reaches across the world. When I see a fire truck or ambulance running code, I say a little prayer for them and wish them Godspeed.
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