story81.xml

story81.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-02-26

Im bad with dates, I dont even know what today is- but I can never forget that tuesday.

I was on my way to work in Mid-town when the D train stopped running and made everyone get out at 59th Columbus Circle on the west side. I was running late and this was the last thing I needed, and the conductors never tell you why the service has stopped so needless to say I (along with the rest of the early rush commute) was highly annoyed. Walking east five avenues just made me more mad baecause it was impossible to get a cab. You see I havent heard what had happened yet.

Finally getting to the 46th floor of the building where I work, exiting the elevator and entering the all glass reception area, I was perplexed to see virtually the entire floor gathered at the window that faced south. The radio was turned on and blasting 1010 WINS news radio and I saw a small cloud of smoke from one of the towers. So it was a fire all the way downtown that stopped the trains...great that figures. At that moment of seeing what was the focus of everyone's attention suddenly a plane disappeared into the other tower. I thoguht its not a fire, we're at war, someone is bombing us! I've got to get on the phone and get out of here. Now!

I ran into my office with windows that face the towers and in a mechanical manner started dailing my boyfriends cell phone. He works in the south tower. No answer. I try my good friend who works at the FBI headquarters near the towers. No answer. I call my sister who works a few blocks from me. An answer. Working in a doctors office with no windows or radio, she hasnt heard about the news and whats going on. I tell her we've got to go home & Im on my way to her office. In tears I franticly retry my boyfriend's number remembering how hatefull I have been to him lately. At this point the tower falls. The dust cloud looks like an atom bomb went off. It starts creeping uptown like a warning pushing me out the office to go home in the Bronx.

I get my sister and we begin to try to hail a cab to get uptown. All trains and buses have stopped running. The cabs have taken the last rides out the city, not to return.
Luckily, we hitch a ride with a couple with a van that has come from Jersey to provide rides for people stranded in the city. He takes us to 125th street, and returns downtown to pick up more people.

Now we started the most eery part of the journey, walking to the Bronx. The streets where crowed and traffic was backed up, but you wouldnt know it if your eyes were closed. The sound of nothing but yourself walking is all you could hear. No conversation, no horns, no music from the cars, no babies crying in strolers. The city was silenced.

Crossing the Madison street bridge into the Bronx with people covered in sut and debree from the towers was a feeling- a sight one can never forget. The only sound now was a lady who had come out her apt. in the projects by the bridge to set up a microphone and a speaker soulfully singing "Sweet Chariot".

The next week was the constant news broadcasts and video footage of the tragedy that I witnessed that tuesday. It's almost going on 6 months and I still have discussions of the shock, fright and sadness- nearly everyday, with friends, family, even strangers.

I can never forget that tuesday.