story9457.xml

story9457.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2003-09-04

I am a software consultant and at the time I was working on a contract in New Jersey. I overslept that morning. I had Z100 on my radio. I heard them gasp and say that the World Trade center was on fire. I looked at my radio -- 8:48 am. I bolted out of bed and ran to my living room, and turned on my TV. I just stared. I was trying to process what I was seeing. I called my Mother in Canada. I told her what was happening she was in disbelief. Then the second plane hit. On TV it only looked like a small prop plane. The only thing I could say to my Mother was "All those people! Mom -- All of those people in the plane, on the street, in the building and the subways...." I thought there was an air traffic system failure. The message came across that the bridges and tunnels to Manhattan were closed. I was not going to NJ that day. I got dressed and went outside. From the Upper East Side I could see the large plume of smoke in the sky. I felt helpless and felt that I had to do something. I started to walk downtown. And then I got on the 6 train at 77th Street. We got as far as 42nd Street. The train was stopped in the tunnel for 90 minutes. Then we backed up to 42nd street. We were asked to exit the train. Upstairs in Grand Central the station was empty -- strange. Then out on the street. A mass of people crowds just outside the station. I walked down Lexington -- against the flow of people. Some bars had their patios open and I caught a glimpse of the TV -- Planes had also crashed into the Pentagon and crashed in Pennsylvania!! The World Trade Center collapsed?!?! I did not want to believe. I walked further downtown as it sunk in. An man was walking toward us. He was covered in soot and had a blank look on his face. I got as far as Canal Street. They didn't let anyone go south of there. I wanted to help. The only thing I could do was walk home. People were trying to catch cabs... to where?? The 59th street bridge had a mass of people walking over to Queens. I wanted to donate blood.. when I got to the blood center the line was already around the block. I walked 8 miles to my apartment. I bought water and food. Who knows what else was sabotaged? I turned on the TV. I slept in front of the TV that night. Darkness is scarry. The city was silent that night. Just the sound of rumbling Air conditioners. The city isn't the same anymore. I don't think it has been the same since. Why did this happen? All of those people... Why?