story267.xml

story267.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-03-18

My mom got me a job working in her DoD office in Crystal City at the beginning of the summer. I didn't paticularly enjoy it, but the money was good. I tried to make the best of it by taking advantage of as many free computer training classes and government information sessions as I could at the Pentagon and Navy Annex both a few thousand yards from the building we worked in.

One beautiful Tuesday morning I was dragging my feet. My mom and I took separate cars because I had a class at Mason right after work. I kept finding little things to distract me. The weather was so perfect that I seriously considered ditching work and hanging out by the river all day. I remember I was really intent on writing down the lyrics to this song I had just thought up. I parked in the garage under the building - even though it was more expensive - because it was already 8:45 and I had to get my butt to the office. As I snuck into my cubicle and logged on to my computer, hoping nobody noticed how late I was, I heard one of the gruff retired military guys jokingly ask a buddy if he had seen any low flying planes outside. Since Reagan National is practically across the street, I thought nothing of it. A reminder popped up on my computer screen... Information Session - Pentagon 9:00. Aw Crap! I said out loud. It's like 9 now. I'll never make it. Man... I'm gonna be in deep shit for missing this one. Why the hell was I so late? I don't even know what I was doing. Whatever, life goes on... I was thinking to myself and I began preparing for a meeting with the Colonel later that morning.

The crazy temp who is always sending those chainletter type emails around came in and sat down rambling something about the end of the world and the plane crashes and some other stuff. I kind of blew her off. Then I went over to my mom's office to say hi and see what was up with all the talk about airplanes. She had just heard about it herself. We all gathered at the receptionists desk with the usual joking and gabbing and not realising the gravity of what was taking place right above our heads. We heard the big screen TV in the conference room on the 12th floor was tuned to CNN so about a dozen of my coworkers, including my mom, went up to check out the news - anything to get out of work, right? I stayed behind to prepare for my meeting... I didn't want to leave because I knew the Colonel would be in any minute, he was a very busy man, and if I wasn't there when he showed up I would be in trouble.

One of the guys had a radio in his office so I stayed and listened. That's when I heard about the second plane. Terrorists we all agreed. None of us had seen pictures yet, we were picturing in our minds little prop planes like the one that tried to crash into the white house a few years ago. We started taking bets on what terrorist group was responsible. Bin Laden was the most popular vote. One of the retired military girls said, "It makes me wish I was still on active duty so I could go over there and kick some ass" Just then Angela, the receptionist, came running in. She told me I had to go watch the TV. I had to see. It's unbelievable. I argued that I had to wait for the Colonel. She said she'd cover for me, but I couldn't miss seeing what she had seen. So I got on the elevator with another woman from the office. We rode up the two floors chattering with curiosity - what's everyone making a fuss about? As we got off the elevator we ran into the Captain. He asked where we were going. We told him and he said everyone's gone home - the pentagon's on fire. I giggled said, "don't even joke about that." And as I pushed past him he said, "go look out a window" I skipped down the hallway to the conference room. It was eerily quiet except for the CNN reporter's voice. The conference room was deserted. The 8 foot screen was gray... no it was smoke. This is so much bigger than I ever imagined, I thought. Then the word Pentagon was at the bottom of the screen. I screamed... It can't be true... It can't be. I yelled, "Is anybody here?... Anybody?!?!" Oh God, where's my mom? I thought she was here! She must be looking for me! As I waited an eternity for the elevator I began to pace back and forth one of the men waiting with me said, "Don't panic, that's what they want us to do." There's a they out there that is trying to hurt us. Who are they? What will they do next? I couldn't breathe on the elevator... what if our building was next? The security guard was securing our floor when I got there and he didn't even know why. I found my mom, she said, "Get your stuff we're going home!" I said heck yeah we are! I grabbed my keys... but before I could leave, I hesitantly walked across the office to the window. What I saw sent a chill down my spine. It was so dark, so black... billowing for miles. This is the biggest thing that has ever happened to me.
My mother and I got in our separate cars and I followed her home. As we were leaving Crystal City... less than 15 minutes after the Pentagon was hit, the sidewalks were swarming with people and men in black suits and black SUVs were everywhere, securing buildings and evacuating people. The traffic was so slow, but everyone was nice to eachother - no road rage on Sept. 11, 2001. I kept trying to call my dad to tell him we were OK but my cell wouldn't work. At every stoplight my mom and I would wave at eachother in support. Listening to the radio, I heard the newscaster say that the towers had fallen and the true gravity of the situation kicked in. As we turned the corner at Potomac Yards, I was once again facing north and the darkness filled my view. I started screaming and crying hysterically. So this is what evil looks like. I had to pull over. My mom did too and she got out of the car and walked back to check on me. I rolled down the window to tell her I was ok and the stench of burning flesh and fuel filled my nostrils. I cried out again. We were at least 5 miles from the crash site at this point, but we couldn't get away. As we continued on I finally got through to my dad. When he picked up I couldn't talk. I just kinda said, "Ummm..." I was so happy to have gotten through, but so scared that this might have been the last time I ever talked to him. I let him do the talking and he asked me where I was and if I was ok. He said he was glad I called because he was about to come down there and look for me. Then he told me to hang up the phone and concentrate on getting home safely. It took an hour or so, but we eventually did. I don't think I've ever been so happy to see my house. My mom and I just hugged eachother in the driveway for a few minutes. There were about 10 messages on the answering machine already. People checking on us. I called everyone who knew where I worked. There was a lot of crying.
I live less than a mile from a major army base, and they had vigilant fly overs every 10 minutes or so. I didn't sleep for 3 days. I watched the replays on CNN and it made me naseous. These are people dying. My cousin was supposed to be on one of the planes that hit in NYC, but changed her flight plans at the last minute. I was almost at the Pentagon that morning. The Lord works in mysterious ways.