story4050.xml

story4050.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

I coordinate a Meals for Me. program in central Maine. At 8:46 I was headed for my job. The announcer on the radio station I listen to mentioned a plane had hit the World Trade center, but I went to work as usual. Our office is a converted bomb shelter, and was supposed to house the governer and his staff in the event of a bomb attack back in the 1960's. We are isolated when we are in there, and we have no radio or TV. At 10:45PM when the volunteer drivers showed up to deliver our meals to the shut-ins, they related the events to us. It so happens the man who runs the Emergency Management agency (Also located in our building) showed up also to man the radio's. He told us planes were misssing and the whole story unfoled tyo me in a matter of minutes. I knew the elderly folks we were about to see would be understandably upset and confused. I instructed my drivers to tell them it was scarry, but we were safe up here in Maine, and that we would see them the next day, as usual.
As I drove my rural delivery route, the absence of air traffic was un-nerving and noticable. I wept and wept for months and months. I cannot imagine how people in close proximity to the City can cope. I feel as if a chunk of my soul has been destroyed. I hope that all affected realize how much the rest of the nation cares for them. GOD BLESS AMERICA!!