Five Years

I wrote this two years ago right after the report came out.  I still find  that I shed tears thinking about that day...although I did not lose anyone, I feel a great loss for our whole country...perhaps a loss of innocence.  A feeling that our "land" would never come under an attack such as this.  We, as a nation, still grieve....I think we will for generations to come. 

 

 

Yesterday, with the Commission's Report coming out, my emotions got the best of me and I relived the day of 9/11 over and over again.  Just couldn't get past the horror of it all.

My early working life evolved around the site where the "twins" would be built.  I worked for a Japanese Import-Export Company, Okura & Co. situated on Church St.  Our building was part of the area that was torn down to make room for the towers.  So we moved up Broadway near City Hall...still being able to revisit the area and watch demolition. 

I got married, left the country for awhile, moved back to another state...and finally in 1971 wound back up in New York..and the towers still were not totally completed.  I forget what year it was but a good friend of mine, Guy, worked in construction for years on the towers.  He arranged to take me on a tour of the not yet opened Tower I and it was awesome tour that I will never forget. He took me over to an area in the center that acted as a wind tunnel..partly blocked with wooden boards there was a squared off hole that when you put your face there you could hear a terrific howling coming up through the area.  Little did I know then peering into that howling darkness that this opening would contribute to the demise of both Towers, letting the jet fuel run it's course through the center of the buildings.

Later, in the 70's my ex's company relocated from Broadway back to their old area...and moved into the towers.  During those years I had to make the trip into the city many times to meet with him because of one thing or another...so I found myself quite familiar with the Towers and the underground maze of trains, shops, etc. 

After moving to Florida, on my trips back to New York to visit children & grandchildren, I hungered for the city skyline view.  I guess I still do, but now it hurts to look and not see those two majestic towers shinning in the distance.

I was at work, doing a bridal consultation with a young couple, when another employee said "oh! My God..turn on the TV..a plane just flew into the WTC, it was on the radio!"  I jumped up, said "excuse me" to the couple and ran for the phone...my older son and daughter work in the city.  My daughter works for a prominent real estate lawyer and had clients at the WTC..I really needed to know where both my kids were.  I was really lucky I was able to reach her husband. he's a NYC cop on his day off,  who didn't know about the situation because he had cartoons on for the grandchildren.  He grabbed the kids, jumped in his car and sped off after my daughters express bus.  He was able to stop the bus before it was caught up in the mess that ensued with people exiting the city.  John made sure his family was safe, then reported to his Station House to try to help.

My son was at work already quite near the Empire State Bldg. his company decided to send everyone home and clear the building, not that everyone could get home.  The mindset here was that no one knew what else could be targeted. 

After finding my children safe, I found myself very angry at an unseen enemy.  Someone had destroyed thousands of people without a second thought, wiped them out with a particularly horrific strike at the center of my world.  I cried for the people lost, for the children who would not know their parents, for the parents who would never know grandchildren, for lost friends and lovers.   I cried for myself....all my memories gone in a flash.\

My feelings today are whatever is necessary to combat this evil must be done.  We all have to watch each other's back...if someone acts suspicious well do something about it, let someone know.  The public is very fickle, it's concious mind holds on for only a brief time before jumping to a new subject.  We need to stop this mindset...we need to focus and not let the enemy win.