story2075.xml
Title
story2075.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-09-10
911DA Story: Story
I can't believe it's been one year. It feels like it happened yesterday and it's almost like I never knew what it was like to not worry about what might happen next. The story I'm about to tell is short, but it sticks out vividly in my mind and I'm tearing up just thinking about it. It's not a story of sadness, or hatred, but a testament to the strength of a nation when pulled together under the most horrific circumstances.
This event occurred the Friday after September 11th. I was filled with anger and pride. I remember wondering why it took something so horrible for me to finally become patriotic. My girlfriend and I were driving from Richmond, to Norfolk and were glad to be in each other's company and glad to be heading back home to family. The interstate can be fairly aggravating in the afternoons around Hampton Roads. This day was no different than the others. Everyone had a flag, a decal, a note, to show their pride and support of the nation. I didn't have a flag, but I took a piece of paper and wrote "God Bless America" and taped it to the passenger side window. We were nearly home and had just driven under an overpass where one sole person stood with a large flag and waived it over the interstate. I smiled and held my girlfriend's hand tighter. We drove a little further and a car pulled up beside us. It was filled with a rough looking group of guys, who looked like troublemakers. He looked at me and I didn't know what to expect, or what he was thinking. He looked at my sign and simply shook his head. I smiled back. The next exit came up and they put their signal on to move over. As he merged onto the exit, he opened his window and simply stuck out his arm and made the peace sign. I watched him go off into the distance, arm outstretched. Two guys, two strangers, two Americans connected that day. It still brings tears to my eyes.
This event occurred the Friday after September 11th. I was filled with anger and pride. I remember wondering why it took something so horrible for me to finally become patriotic. My girlfriend and I were driving from Richmond, to Norfolk and were glad to be in each other's company and glad to be heading back home to family. The interstate can be fairly aggravating in the afternoons around Hampton Roads. This day was no different than the others. Everyone had a flag, a decal, a note, to show their pride and support of the nation. I didn't have a flag, but I took a piece of paper and wrote "God Bless America" and taped it to the passenger side window. We were nearly home and had just driven under an overpass where one sole person stood with a large flag and waived it over the interstate. I smiled and held my girlfriend's hand tighter. We drove a little further and a car pulled up beside us. It was filled with a rough looking group of guys, who looked like troublemakers. He looked at me and I didn't know what to expect, or what he was thinking. He looked at my sign and simply shook his head. I smiled back. The next exit came up and they put their signal on to move over. As he merged onto the exit, he opened his window and simply stuck out his arm and made the peace sign. I watched him go off into the distance, arm outstretched. Two guys, two strangers, two Americans connected that day. It still brings tears to my eyes.
Collection
Citation
“story2075.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed January 4, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/3798.