story8313.xml

story8313.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-10-02

I woke up, just like any other day, at 7 o'clock and stumbled to the bathroom to take a shower. A half hour later, when I was almost awake, I dragged my feet down the stairs to eat breakfast. My dad was in Seattle on a business trip, he would be back late that day, so it was just my mom sitting at the dining room table sipping her morning tea. I shoved a bagel into the toaster and went to pour myself some orange juice when the phone rang. My mom answered it, smiling as she always is.

"Hello? Oh hey, how's it- wait, slow down, I can't understand you...what?!? Oh my god, let me turn it on right now. I'll call you back." The expression on her face transformed so quickly from content to panicked, I thought a family member must have died. But no, it was much worse. I set my glass on the counter and followed her into the living room, where she was turning on the television with shaking hands. The image of a building on fire, with smoke billowing everywhere, loomed up in front of my eyes, and the words of the newscaster puzzled me: "A plane has just crashed into the World Trade Center." Wait, I thought confusedly, as though she had spoken in Portuguese. The World Trade Center? Isn't that in New York? That really tall building? What do they mean a plane crashed into it? I stared at the T.V., not comprehending. I turned my head slowly, as if in a dream, to look at my mom. So unlike her usual self, she was totally uncomposed, white as a sheet, crying and rocking back and forth. I turned back to the T.V., then left to the kitchen to see if my breakfast was ready. I did everything slowly, and wide-eyed as if in a trance. Suddenly my mom shot into the dining room and grabbed the phone. She tried repeatedly to dial, but her hands were shaking so much that she couldn't do it. I walked calmly to her, took the phone, and dialed the number she recited to me. She made a sound of frustration and slammed the phone back down. I ate my bagel slowly, turning the pictures of the burning buildings over and over in my mind. My mom drove me to school, talking on her cell phone to my aunt who lives in Anaheim.

Once I got to school, the only thing I could think about was how panicked my mom was over what we saw on T.V. Why? The full force of the whole situation hit my at about 9:30, during Spanish. The number that I had helped my mom dial. It was my dad's cell phone. I felt panic and fear flow through my whole body. I shuddered violently and leaped from my seat, startling the teacher. I went to the front of the class and asked him for permission to leave class. He nodded half-conciously and pointed to the pass hanging on the door. I grabbed it and sprinted to the payphones. I called my mom, but the line was busy. I slammed the receiver down and took a deep, shaky breath. I had to find out if my dad was ok. I tried calling his cell phone, but it was useless. I reached into my pocket for more change, but all I came up with was a dime and three pennies. I was almost hysterical, but got a hold of myself and walked back to Spanish.

I ended up having to wait the whole day to find out what was going on with my dad. I begged all my teachers to turn on the T.V. to make sure nothing happened in Seattle, but none of them would. My mom came to pick me up and the first thing she said was, "Your dad's ok! Nothing happened in Seattle!" I breathed a sigh of relief and sunk into the front seat.

I also used to live in New Jersey, about 15 minutes away from New York, so I visited it all the time. I can see the skyline perfectly in my mind, but I guess I'll have to alter that picture now that the Twin Towers are no longer a part of it.