story7479.xml

story7479.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-15

all of the inspectors had been greeting the public that day,
making sure they were helped to cast their votes..when a few of us heard ..well it sounded like a car crash, but from a distance!..we didnt pay too much mind to it at first.
a man with a transistor radio came in to vote and told me that a plane had hit the world trade center..at first i just looked at him like you gotta be kidding!..i then went out side and people were kinda schuffling out side and talking about the plane..I walked to my friends house and there was only one station on television.I couldnt believe what i saw..and only moments later as we watched the second tower get hit. my friend and i were screaming ..i couldnt believe it "all the people, in there" I wasnt totally out of it untill i heard that the pentagon was hit as well..that's when I was truely afraid..I thought we were all dead! I thought where is our government?..I then went as fast as i could go to the bus stop, to get my son outta school..he goes to school located down town brooklyn, not far from the bridge..I couldnt believe the smoke it reminded me of a london fog horror movie ..the smoke and debree were intense.I got my child and we hitched hiked
back home I only had 5 dollars on me and all the atm's were down..a perfect stranger handed me another 5 dollars to help me and my son get home..the only car service in the area was loaded with people waiting their turn to get a ride to their homes..i had asked a man in a red car to please take my son and I home and i payed him the 10 dollars.
later on..and after trying to call into manhattan,because my daughter attends high school there.mayor rudy..opened
up train service ..I then went and got into manhattan...going over the bridge it was hard to see anything,and not because of the smoke but my tears wouldnt stop..I keep thinking about "all those people" i got to my daugters school to find out that had released her..even though i called and told them to keep her there .and i was coming for her..she had signed a log to where she was going..and she was alright..on the way home and finally getting into a bklyn bound train I was in the subway when building 7 fell..we had to be rerouted back uptown..well it took 5 hours to get back home ...I'm grateful that I was able to get back home...so many werent so fortuate!.The next two days my daugter and I volunteered in the armory.
on lex. ave.I couldnt go back another day the mass amount of families and friends of the missing were phenomonal.
but I remember 1 elderly woman who just gave out white roses!
I saw a city.that has been labled unfriendly..come together
like one family, the amounts of donations were endless...after we left the armory we walked to the union square park. for vigils and prayer..people were hugging and being supportive to each other..some just sat quiet.some cried,some drew pictures expressing their feelings ..out of kaos comes order..I dont know ..but i saw a beauty amoungst
all of us new yorkers..God bless you all..barbara nardini