Thursday, September 11, 2008

Remembering


It's amazing how in the blink of an eye, your whole perception of the world can change. September 11, 2001 is a day when people all over the US will says, "I remember what I was doing when I heard about the attack."

For me I was at work. This was when the family printing business was still up and running. I heard it first on my radio. The announcer was saying something about an airplane hitting one of the twin towers but nothing in his voice sounded stressed. I was playing games online and some of the people in the chat area were saying the damage to the tower was very bad. About 5 minutes later he came back on with an update. You could begin to hear the stress in his voice. He was talking about it not being a small aircraft because you could see a huge fire going on. At this point I went online to CNN and was absorbed into what was happening on my computer screen.

When the second plane hit, my sister and I left work and went to a restaurant down the road that had a TV. When we walked in everyone was subdued Not a sound could be heard except the TV. A few of the women sitting at tables were crying and I distinctly remember one lade sitting at her table with her head bowed and praying. Every single person in there was focused on watching the TV. We were still there when the plane hit the Pentagon and couldn't force ourselves to leave as we watched them track a rogue plane that they thought was heading for the White House.

When the day came to an end, it all just seemed so surreal. I will never forget the images of the people in NYC covered in ash and debris. Nor will I forget the men and women who gave their lives that day. I pray for each man and woman that entered the Armed Services because of the events of this day.

Two years ago I buried my brother on 9/11 and today I got a phone call from my mom that Phil's best and treasured friend left this world today to join him. It will be a rough couple days but I want to be there for Eddie's wife, Jana, because Eddie was always there for Phil, through thick and thin. Jana was just telling us the other day how Phil would show up at their house at 3am. He played music in the bars so it was always late when his work was done. She said he would knock on the door and say, "Jana, can Eddie come out to play?" God, I miss him but I'm not the only one. Now he and Eddie can play as long as they want....


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