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September 11, 2004
September 11
Like when Kennedy was shot, those who were alive on September 11 2001 will always remember what they were doing that fateful day. I was then working for Worldcom/UUNet in the sales department. As fate would have it, I was scheduled to move to another pod that morning. I was in the middle of unplugging my computer and boxing my stuff when word spread that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. As with most people, I thought what a tragedy it was, but it must have been a freak accident, sort of when fifty years ago a plane hit the Empire State Building. I went to the TV room only briefly, then continued my move. Then came the news that the second plane hit.
Although it was obvious that the crashes were deliberate and thus acts of terrorism, the enormity of what was happening seemed too much to believe. I went back to one of the the now crowded TV rooms and watched for most of the next hour. Wanting to get my move completed before the news developed further, I hurried about to get my computer connected in it's new location.
The next time I went back to the TV room the I immediately noticed a difference in the people there. Instead of talk, there was absolute silence. Everyone was just staring at the TV with looks of shock on their faces. They looked hurt, almost visibly pained. I looked at the TV and saw a big cloud of dust covering lower Manahattan. I asked what had happened and someone responded that the buildings had collapsed.
At this point, some people started to file out and head for home on their own. Shortly thereafter the official word came down that it was ok to leave. An exodus started, with everyone heading out. Like everyone else, my eyes were on the sky for the entire drive home.
It was only the beginning.
Posted by Tom at September 11, 2004 9:54 PM
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