story4573.xml

story4573.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

My husband Rick and I had just recently moved from Kansas to Florida after he was discharged from the Military. We were driving from Jacksonville, Florida to Rotonda, Florida so my husband's parents could see their grandson for the second time, he had just turned a year old. We were listening to a morning show and all the sudden the hosts broke in with a report that a plane had hhit one of the Twin Towers. We were in shock. We honestly thought it was a joke...a bad one. We stopped at a Wendys to grab some lunch, and when we went in there was no one at the register or cooking food. All the employees were gathered around a 13 in TV in the Manager's office watching coverage of the attack. I was devistated. My husband was not totally seperated from the Army, he was still technically in for another sixty days. Was he going to be recalled? Was I going to be called. As a former Military Police Officer I still had five years in the Inactive Reserves. My heart dropped. When we arrived at my in-law's home, the coverage of the attack was immense. And then we started to get really nervous...Florida seemed to be on the news an awful lot.
Eventually we settled into our visit. We went to the local Wal-Mart to buy an American Flag to put on out car, but they were sold out. THe only thing that was left was a pack of two flags that were pretty little. We bought them anyway. While in line to pay there was a middle eastern man and his caucasian wife in line behind us. He remarked that they had looked everywhere for a flag but weren't able to find any. I gave him one of ours. I figured he needed it more than we did.
Neither I nor my husband were recalled, but my husband did rejoin the Army. Serving our country is what we do best. He is protecting all of our freedoms, and I am helping by supporting and loving him. Each day brings a new hope and a new sadness into our lives. A hope that things can get better and a sadness that they had to change. How bittersweet are our memories. How precious the new ones will be.

Melissa L. Dwinnell