Monday, September 11, 2006

A Sept. 11 story

I know everyone says they remember what they were doing on the day of the terrorist attacks.
I'm no different.
My youngest, Danny, was four months old. He received his shots the day before, so he was running a fever. I decided to call in sick that day. Sept. 11.
My husband, a pilot, was on call that day, which is why I called in. If he had to fly out, we'd be in a bind.
I was giving Danny his bottle when the phone rang. It was my father-in-law telling me that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. He said it was a small plane.
I didn't think too much of it. It thought it was strange but that was that. I made a mental note to tell my husband about it when he woke up.
I put Danny in his bouncy seat and did some chores. My husband finally opened the bedroom door and he and I made small talk. Then I said "oh, your dad called, he said a plane hit the World Trade Center."
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, reaching for the remote.
"Didn't seem important to me." I answered. Being a newswoman, stories like that didn't really have much of an impact on me anymore. Basically I had seen and heard it all. Or thought I did.
Well after my husband flipped on the television, tragedy unfolded in front of us. I couldn't believe my eyes.
It was horrifying and stunning.
"This is big, Stephanie," my husband said, looking very somber.
I went to the phone and called work. No one could talk there. Not surprising.
My husband was grounded, no planes would fly for while.
I suppose people at work had figured this out, because they called me to come back in and put together a second edition that day.
The rest of the afternoon was like a blur. Tears, sadness, anger, digust.
We called area churches. We talked to local people who had relatives in New York. We asked the schools what they would be doing.
The edition came out eventually and I drug myself home, completely depleted.
My husband had been watching T.V. all day and my 2-year-old, Max, was jumping up and down saying "Smoke, smoke, fire ... airpwanes!"
I held him close and watched T.V. too, still numb.
Still trying to figure it all out.

3 comments:

VJ's Scrap Room said...

I know what you mean.My heart was in my throat the whole time I watched the tragedy unfold.:-( Yesterday it was there again.

Donna said...

I think we will all remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when we heard about the tragic events of 9/11. I always heard my parents talk about knowing exactly where they were when President Kennedy was shot. Now I know what they mean. However heartwrenching the events were, I do believe some good comes out of everything - I think we all became a closer and more aware America.

amysimagesadvertising said...

How Rude! Oh no, I am becoming one of 'them', I took your freebie without sayin' thanks. Please forgive me my friend - haha I AM SO SLEEP DEPRIVED.

I read your posting, I hope you are feeling better soon Steph!

Ames

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