Being in New York City in the days after the tragedy was a surreal experience. I live in lower Manhattan, just outside what was, during the weeks after the event, the "frozen" zone. At each intersection along 14th Street, my route to work and the northern border of the frozen zone, were dozens of police (from all over the country), national guardsmen and soldiers. This is Avenue A just below 14th St. on September 13, 2001.