story4008.xml

story4008.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

On September 11, 2001, it was a beautiful morning outside. I remember everything that I wore to work, especially this really pretty new gray sweater. I remember thinking how nice it was outside, and how I planned to take a walk during my lunch hour. Around 9 a.m., one of the 4 guys that I shared a big office with, came rushing into the office telling me to "go to CNN" on my computer. I heard him say "they just hit the world trade center". I didn't understand what he meant, because he was rushing and looking frazzled. I knew he was serious a few seconds later, because I heard a lot of activity outside the door. Lots of people had began milling around, and some were walking really fast towards a corridor facing the Pentagon.
There, I realized that a plane had crashed into the Pentagon also, because the sky was black. It was filled with black smoke, as the plane had just hit it. It all went down hill from that point on. I remember feeling very scared, exposed, vulnerable...and knowing with certainty that I was going to die. I was in shock, and wanted to cry right there at work. I remember standing listening to the radio when they announced that the towers had collapsed. I didn't realize that there were people in there. For some reason, I thought everyone had gotten out. Was I in for a terrible surprise. It took me 4 hours to get home...a ride which ususally would take 1/2 hour. My cell phone was barely working, and I was stuck in front of the FBI building (which was one block from my job) in traffic.
I knew for certain that terrorist would try to hit the FBI buiding and I panicked even more. I kept thinking that I would never see my two cats or family or my beloved friend Reg again. I finally did make it home. A coworker and her husband gave me a ride..it took us almost an hour just to get out of the garage. Everything downtown was blocked off and traffic just went in circles. I had a hard time sleeping that night. I was in shock and kept crying, especially when they showed people jumping from the windows of the WTC. GOD bless them. It would be several months before I had a nightmare-less night. Everytime I closed my eyes, I would dream of helicopters or airplanes crashing into residential neighborhoods, hospitals or my bedroom. A year later, and I am still slightly on edge, but a lot better than I was before. Thank you for listening to me.