nmah5218.xml

nmah5218.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-10-09

I work for an agency that helps people with Disabilities get train skills and help find jobs. I was hired to work for the Dept. of Finance, CAU at 66 John Str.. I am an adult born with Disabilities.
I have a Hearing Room I work with different Judges and Respondance I deal with Parking Tickets. I was suppose to have a good day I had a nice Judge and Respondance City Wide Parking. We start hearings at 9:00 City Wide was late it was after 9:00. I don't remember the time frame but i was waiting for city wide, i was talking to the Judge and we heard what sounded like a loud poping explosion that we jumped. We wasn't sure what it was i was still wondering about my respondance. I looked at my window and i saw some people standing in the middle of the street looking at something at awed, they were starring at the sky i then heard lots of police cars and ambulances passing by. I was wondering what was going on so did some of the other judges. I called up my father to see if knew enything he wasn't sure. I was asking around some of the judges had small radio with them the only information we got that a plane hit one of the towers and people was jumping out of the building.
I went back in my room i looked at the window and i heard what sounded like a loud rumbling noise and i saw those people running for there lives then all of a sudden it got covered up with white and gray dust.The smell was awful. I called up my father to tell him what happened and that i was alright, the supervisor was then telling us to stay out of the rooms to sit in the waiting area. I was all over the place trying to stay calm and be with some of my co-workers my best friend was off in a way i was glad and in a way i wasn't. I went to the bathroom to get a wet towel to cover my face because the smell was awful. I saw city wide parking he said he saw what happened outside. I went back in my room to call my father of whats going on and i was alright then i heard the second buiding collapsing and the window covered up with gray and white dust then it got dark like night time. The smell got worse.
I was then out of my room trying to keep calm and waiting to hear what was going on then finally we heard on the intercone that it was a terrorist attack on the wtc and the towers collapsed i got very upset and started to cry. Afer a couple of hours they told us that it was alright for us to leave it was 2:30 some of the co-workers started to leave i went back to my room to get a couple of things and to let my father know. I looked outside and i couldn't believe my eyes how it looked it was all covered up in white and gray dust and paper all over. I was little scared but i had to start headed for home. I was heading towards fulton i couldn't take the train the police told me it wasn't working i was wondering how i was going home. Dust covering everything, i asked one of the police man how i was going home i told him i live in the Bronx he told me to go to 14th street he then gave me a mask. I started to head to the Brooklyn Bridge the wind blew the smoke on me i got covered up. I asked another police man how i was going home he told me to walk to 14th street to fallow those people i wasn't sure if some of knew where there were going. I then remembered where the 6 train would go I walked to canal street, Spring street, China town, Soho, the village, Blecker, Astor place, then 14th street. I was trying to find a pay phone that works so i could call my father i was lucky that i had plenty of change and money. When i was at 14th i called my father to aske him how the hell i was going home?, he told me to take the 125th bus and get off on 125th. I got on the 125th bus it was crazing and kaotic people was trying how to get home. I saw military airplanes passing by and some people standing next the subway as if it was going to open any minute for them.
I was able to get on a bus and there was lots of traffic it was also going very slow. A woman on the bus saw my shoes dirty with white dust she said i see we have the same kind of shoes because hers was also covered up. I was dirty and hot. I got to 125th i called my father of how he was going to pick me up he told me to across the street and wait next to the bridge. I was waiting my father and i saw lots of people trying to walk home to Queens and the Bronx, i wasn't going to try to do that because i would get lost and my arthritis wouldnt let me go to far. There was a man drunk yielling about ending the world the police didnt wanted to deal with him. I finally saw my father i wanted to give him a hug but i was hot and dirty. My father had to get help from the police car to take me home they had to first take some other people home we were still in the Manattan area and i saw the smoke coming out from the attack. We went to the police station for my father to get his car and then home i was glad to be at home so was my mother she gave me a hug.
I had to stay home for a couple of days i was trying to recover from it my legs were sore from all that walking. We had to go back to work on Monday I was very nervous and some of the area was blocked off there was lots of military police. I was glad that i saw one of the Judges that morning. The smell lasted a couple of months everything was dirty so were the windows.

I got very sensative to the smell enything thats similiar to it i get very sensative. I get certain kinds of dream of the attack i wake up angry and have a heard time going back to sleep. I make sure i carry enough change and i have a cell phone. Some of the Judges didnt come back since the attack of dont come as often to CAU. My parents especially my mother worries when im comming in late from work or if i get stuck in the train.

I am very proud to be an American and to be born in this great country. I am also proud to do the work that im doing for this great city.