story1940.xml

story1940.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-09

I was walking to the 6 train on 23rd Street that morning, like I do every weekday morning. The first plane had already hit and there was black smoke streaming across the sky to the East. At first I thought it was a brush fire in New Jersey, until I saw one of the towers on fire. I thought it was terrible and could not wait to get to work to get on cnn.com to find out what happened.
When I got onto the train I knew something was wrong. Everyone was talking to each other. Now I don't know if your from Manhattan or not, but the people who are know what I?m talking about when I say that everyone talking to each other on the train in the morning, going to work is not usual. In fact it's kind of scary. I felt like everyone already knew each other. Of course by the time I was at my stop I had heard about a plane and people were already guessing about terrorism. When I got to work everyone was a mess, trying to find televisions or radios. A co worker and I went next door to a deli where they had a TV in back. As soon as we walked in the second plane hit. I remember everything stopping, no one said a word. People started crying when images of trapped workers in the towers falling to their deaths came on the screen. I stared at the television for what seemed like 4 or 5 days until I watched the North tower fall. I remember seeing the radio antenna shift to the side and I just stood up and said "no." I don't remember, and I still can't to this day if I said that out loud or not.
Walking South down 2nd ave from 59th Street was a strange experience. Everyone was comatosed, just walking briskly like one of those old alien movies when they take over the minds of the townspeople, and make them all congregate in the middle of the night. At one point these 12 or 13 year old kids, obviously ignorant, immature and honestly, not so bright were making comments about World Trade Center Tours and making wise cracks. This next to people walking uptown covered in human and building remains. I am not a violent man by any means but I cracked and grabbed one of these kids by the upper arm sleeve and swung him around so he was facing me, standing a good 7 inches taller than him. I don't even think I said anything but his friend got the picture, apologized and shoved his friend away down a side street. By this time I was at around 30th Street and the number of chalky figures walking uptown was increasing per block. Each was surrounded by people asking questions, and trying to help. One business man was walking with his briefcase still in hand with the posture and casual demeanor someone would have on any other day but this one. Until he got closer and I saw his face. He was in a daze in total shock, just walking. I doubt he even knew where he was going. I wanted to help but did not know how. What could I say? After getting home, gluing the TV onto cnn and making sure I answered all the message boards my friends had created in lew of the cellular phone fiasco. I got onto my 25 story roof to try and get a better signal when I got a call from a friend in Jersey City on his roof. We watched the # 7 building come down together on the phone and tried to comfort each other. That night I walked to Union square with clothing and blankets and a hard hat I had acquired to donate to the rescue effort. There had to be 10,000 people there, all with candles and tears. It was very emotional and I don't know if I could have kept my sanity without it.