story1725.xml

story1725.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-04

Cant beleive its been almost a year and I still feel that overwhelming sense of loss and pain for those who suffered...

Tuesday, 11th September 2001 was a humid, warm and sunny day here in the east of England and just like any other.
I was at work and I'd had a busy schedule for the day.

I had arranged a buffet lunch for all the Managers and Directors of our Company to have while working through their meeting when come 2.00pm in the afternoon (9.00am NYC time) they had decided to break and take some fresh air.

I was in the process of clearing away all the plates, cups & sauces when the phone started to ring in my office. Half way from the Conference Room to the kitchen with a tray full crockery balanced like professional waitress, I answered my phone to hear my boyfriend on the other end. "Where are you? have you heard the news? have you heard the radio? have you seen the internet?"... I answer no to all of these questions and by the urgency in his voice I get a bad feeling in my stomach and ask why?... What's happened?...

"The whole bloody world is going mad!" "They're flying aeroplanes into buildings...the WTC has been hit...thousands of people are missing presumed dead some say upto 50,000...and they've hit the Pentagon...terroists have hit the Pentagon...and you can bet London is next..."

I go cold and can feel the blood draining out of me "Are you sure?...the Pentagon? but how can anybody hit the Pentagon? Isnt it supposed to be one of the most secure buildings in the world?? If not THE most secure building in the world...I can't see or hear any news, there's no tv or radio in here..."

"Get on the Internet...this is serious...I told you one day something like this would happen...you can kiss your arse goodbye cos what did I tell you?...I told you didnt I?...I told you the way things are carrying on...that this world aint gonna be here much longer...."

Im terrified and confused. I try to log onto the Internet and the server's down. I forget about work and keep trying the net when eventually about an hour or so later I manage to log on.

There's a picture of WTC1 with its top third of the building on fire...I read the home page of MSN in absolute horror as it unfolds in front of me.

I feel phyically sick...oh my god...those poor people...oh my god...oh no, I can't beleive it...dont want to beleive it...what's going to happen now??

I go home. I cant concentrate. I need to put the tv on. I fear that World War 3 is about to start and I need to know what to do, what to expect, what the hell is going to happen...Is London next?

I get in the car and drive the 25 miles out of the City and to my home in the countryside. The streets are unusually quiet, the traffic is unusually busy. News is getting round now and everyone seems to have the same idea about getting home...everyone wants to know what is happening with our world...a world that will never be the same again.

I listen to the radio, the music is subdued and it reminded me of the day Diana (Princess of Wales) died...Everyone looks sad...worried...shocked. I get home and my boyfriend is already glued to the tv. Has been for some 2 hrs already. We dont speak, I immediately sit down beside him and we watch in silence as the time-table of events is shown to us time and time and time again on the news...I dont know what to say...I'm too shocked and numb to cry...we sit motionless watching the tv for the next 8hrs solid, I havent even taken my jacket off.

Reports start coming through about a man called Osama Bin Laden from Afghanistan..."BOMB THE BASTARDS...BLOW THE WHOLE FUCKING COUNTRY UP..." my boyfreinds screams at the tv...EVIL BASTARDS!! It is then I start to shake and cry for the first time...

All I can think about is "Dearest America...you are not alone...our hearts from our land go out to every single one of you poor souls that have had to suffer from this evil...together we shall beat them...together we shall destroy them...and we shall be victorious...unighted we stand with you America...shoulder to shoulder...you are not alone...

Now a year has come round and I dont feel any different. I still need to read stories and see pictures of that dreadful day...I must still be grieving, although I know of no-one to personally greive for, only the world itself.

In two weeks I shall be visiting NYC for the first time. I am nervous about flying but I shall do it. How you have coped and pulled yourselves round from such a devestating tradegy makes me proud of you America. You are always in our hearts. Take care and god bless you all.