story5105.xml

story5105.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

We heard this guy at work telling people that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. Most of us said "Yeah, right", because this person was always saying outrageous things. But then a supervisor said the same thing, and we managed to get a radio going. People were shocked and very quiet. Then the television in the cafeteria was turned on and we saw that it was true.
"Who would do a thing like that?"
"What the hell is going on?"
"Pray that those people get out safely."
Then the second plane hit. Some people were sobbing, because they had relatives in New York and they weren't sure where they worked. Then the plane hit the Pentagon, and the whole place got even quieter. President Bush was just over in Sarasota! Did that mean that our area might be in danger, too?
When I got home and actuall saw the footage of the towers and the Pentagon and the crash site in Pennsylvania, the tears just rolled down my face. Even though I didn't personally know anyone there, I still felt sorrow and outrage that terrorism could strike so close to home. To this day, I still feel that outrage and the sorrow--for thost that lost loved ones and for the courage and bravery of our police, firefighters and emergency personnel.