Re: 8 years on
- From: "Granby" <spaz@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:30:52 -0500
I have been digging around today for an article I thought I kept. It was a
few days after the attack. This man who worked in the towers, got out, went
into shock and went to the nearest bar where they would let him stop. He
went on a two day drunk.
The other side to his story is that his wife knew he had gone to work, knew
he had to be there. She spent 48 hours looking for him or any sign his
group had survived.
On the third day, he sobered up enough and knew he had to get home. When he
walked in the apartment, his wife was asleep on the couch, totally exhausted
and as filthy as he was from searching around for him.
He walked in, said something akin to "Hi honey, I'm home" She jumped up,
doubled her fist and proceeded to break his nose and jaw all in one fel
swoop! He then went to the hospital. I always wondered if he forgave her.
Prayed he did.
"Kreisleriana" <drtmuirATearthlink.net> wrote in message
news:hq-dneeALeqvzjfXnZ2dnUVZ_oWdnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Yowie" <yowie9644.DIESPAMDIE@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:7gtsroF2pinofU1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
8 years ago, I can still vividly remember Joel waking me up at about
11:15pm saying 'A bomb hit New York'. Wearily, I stumbled out to the
lounge to watch the coverage, thinking it was some sort of stunt, a joke,
a sci-fi movie. We watched in increasing horror as the second plane hit
the other world tower, and by the time the next plane had hit the
pentagon, we were both thinking 'here comes world war 3'.
We stayed up most of the night, watching in horror, disbelief and open
grief whilst the tragedy that struck New York, Washington, America,
indeed the World unfolded. My thoughts went out to all those in the line
of fire, all those who would be affected by this.
My heart skipped a beat when I realised my mother was overseas, on
holiday, unreachable (in the days ahead I paid a small fortune in phone
calls trying to track her down - I found her in France). And then another
as I realised a great friend was actually in the air, flying back from
Sydney to NY at the time (she was diverted to LA and couldn't get home -
nor even call her husband - for 3 more days) .
Everyone stumbled into work the next day, sleepless, shocked. People
desperately tried to contact their loved ones not only in the USA but
around the world. Work allowed the use of the busines phones to do it,
they didn't really have a choice - although most of the lines were down
and the ones that weren't were so overload, it could take *hours* to get
through to a US operator, and even then it didn't mean the call could go
through. There was a constant vigil of at least a handful of people in
the conference room, watchign the only TV we have here, coming out after
a while white and shaken, no longer physically able to watch any more.
For the first time, I saw my colleagues, both men & women, openly weep.
Friends gathered to console and support each other - everyone, and I mean
*everyone* I know, knew someone who knew someone that was directly
effected.
The internet connections were flakey at best, but messages of support and
friendship were posted, as well as a 'please check in' for those who had
been disconnected. It took a very long time, even over here, for it to
stop being at the top of people's minds. Even a month later, I saw a
low-flying jet and immediately had flash-backs, had a moment stricken
with fear. I hadn't realised I was so close to the airport.
8 years on, its no longer front page news every day, but the consequences
of that senseless act still reverberate around the world, effecting lives
every day, every minute. To all those who live with the heartache and
grief of that terrible day, as well as the incredible acts of heroism and
sacrifice, you have not been forgotten. Our purrs and prayers go out to
you..
lest we forget.
Yowie
Thank you, Vicky. Most of you know, but some might not, that this
happened a couple of miles away from me-- our sky was literally black that
day -- and the next-- with the smoke and debris from the buildings-- and
blocks away from my father. This wasn't a distant event for me-- I don't
work in lower Manhattan, but it has been part of my life for many years, a
territory I know as well as any. I didn't lose anybody close to me, but I
saw the WTC every day of my life before that-- my brother and I had
watched it being built as children, and my daily subway trip featured an
impressive view of New York Harbor and the Manhattan skyline-- most people
just read as the sun came up over the Statue of Liberty, the Trade Center,
and other landmarks.
I was getting ready to go out and vote-- it was a mayoral primary day--
and was listening to my local NPR station, WNYC, which was located in
downtown Manhattan, a couple of blocks from the WTC-- so I heard this
unfold in real time, from the time station employees on their coffee
breaks saw the first plane flying crazily low down the west side of the
island. I turned on the TV just in time to see the plane crash into the
first building. I cannot convey to you the total confusion and chaos I
experienced-- the whole thing was attended by this powerful and persistent
sensation of disbelief, and the feeling I was going crazy. The whole
thing seemed inexplicable until the second plane appeared, and then I knew
we must be under attack. But that didn't make the crazy feeling go away,
and it just got worse as I saw the craziest thing of all-- first one
building then the other-- they were immense, remember-- turn to dust
before my eyes. "All those people!'' I thought, "my God, all those
people!"
It took a long time-- years-- before those images receded from the front
of my mind-- I cannot imagine what it was for the people who lost loved
ones.
--
Theresa and Dante
Stinky Forever: http://pets.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh
.
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