story1558.xml

story1558.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-08-30

When the PA system came on the first time, it was just the principal saying that there was something on tv that we should be watching. It was kind of an ambiguous message, so we didn't turn it on. The school's military recruitment officers were giving our class a talk that day as well, so when the teacher across the hall finally came over to tell us we needed to turn the tv on, the officers were in shock. I remember one of the two saying "We may have to go right away." I cried at the impact of the whole thing, but I don't think anyone else in the room did at the time. As the day went on and things got worse, I learned that I wouldn't have to go to work that day because all of Walt Disney World had closed for only the second time in its existence. When I went home, I remember flipping the channels to find something else to watch. The news was on every channel, almost. I think I ended up watching Three's Company because I couldn't stand to watch the World Trade Center collapse over and over.