story1353.xml

story1353.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-08-20

My boyfriend, Steve, got laid off the day before. We always go to work together. However that day, September 11th, he walked me to the bus stop and waited till the bus came. I got on and said good bye. Who knew what was to come next.

I was on my way to work on the corner of North Moore and Greenwich Street.

I got out of the A train at Canal Street. Looked at my watch as I was crossing the street right before my job at 250 West Street. It was 8:45 a.m. That was late for me.

That is when I heard it. The sound of a plane. Living two blocks from J.F.K. airport for a year, it did not strike me odd hearing a plane in the city. I looked up and that's when I saw it. A plane flew over my head.

I looked down, not thinking anything of it, and said to myself in a joking manner... "The plane better watch out, it's going to hit the twin towers." After it hit, there was silence. Not that much noise. It was like I heard the crash but not really. I started screaming "No!! It did not it the plane did not hit. I know that plane did not hit." But it did. I saw the hole on the side of the building and lost it.

I went crazy. I lost my train of thought. I did not know where to go or what to do. I started to circle around thinking what I should do. Should I go to work? Should I go back on the train and go home. Then I thought "Okay I'll get my sister and then we'll go home." So I crossed the street and ran to 388 Greenwich. Took the elevator. There where two women with their breakfast. They could not have known what had happened. I started to say out "I can't believe the plane just crashed. I can't believe it." They consoled me, told me to calm down and that it would be okay. I thought the plane crash was an accident.

When I got to the 18th floor I could not find my sister. I sat next to the window facing the opposite way of the towers. After about 5 minutes, I saw my sister and told her a plane crashed and we need to go home. All of a sudden a guy came and told everyone on the floor "Everyone get out. Go down the stairs. There's another plane. It just hit the other tower." I went crazy. That's when I knew we were under attack. My sister and I grabbed our bags and started down the stairs. I could not walk, my knees where shaking. My friend Azad helped me know down the 18 flights of stairs. My sister could not wait for me she left. Till this day I say to her "I can't believe it. I risked my life going into a building after seeing a plane crash into one to get you out safe and you leave me."

Once I stepped outside, I saw the second hole the second plane hit. I sat on the west side highway watching all the fire engines pass by. I saw the people falling. I saw the towers fall. My sister and I started walking uptown along the highway. I was nervous hearing the military plane fly over. I though we were under attach.

I kept on saying "this is like Red Dawn". I saw that movie the day before. My sister and here co-workers stopped down the street at a gas station to get something to drink. I did not want to be there in fear that something or someone was going to blow it up. I wanted to get home to my mother as soon as possible. At the gas station, I saw what looked like a movie. A guy has his car door open, radio on high, and everyone was sounding it hearing the new about the crash. A women, did not speak very good English, with here kid was crying, came up to me and asked what happened to the buildings. What HAPPENED!! I told her it fell. And we both started to cry.

Everyone had problems with the phone that day. Thank goodness my sister was able to get to my mother a few times. She was crying hysterically. We told her to calm down, that we'll be there soon. She though we were caught under the rubble. I did not know what she was talking about. It was not till I saw the dust cloud on t.v. how bad it was.

I did not want to go near the bridge in fear that another plane might come and attack it, so my sister and I took the F train back to Coney Island, Brooklyn. When the train got out of the tunnel in Brooklyn that is when my sister and I saw the new view of Manhattan for the first time. It was awful.

Steve picked my sister and I from the train station at Avenue X. We finally got home mid afternoon. Gave my mom a huge hug and was grateful to God that we were all home safe. I was also crateful that I was with my sister. She was the strong one thought it all. I don't think I would have been able to get my head straight after what I say. Funny, she is the youngest. You would think I would be the strong one at a time of crises. Later that night she did break down and cry.

That day is one I will never forget. It's ironic... that Friday night Steve and I saw Jay and Silent Bob right across the Twin Towers. I looked up and said, "Look how beautiful the building looks tonight. It's a beautiful night."

Its one frame in my head I will never forget.