story3549.xml

story3549.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-11

I went to work, specialist at the outlet mall at 8:00 am. around 8:50, the lead cashier's husband called and told her that New York's Trade Towers were under attack. we had no radio and no tv. what to think? I received a call from the school my children attended 40 minutes away to inform me that they were closing. The manager was informed that the mall was closing immediately and we had to leave. I'm leaving things out because the whole 15 or 20 minutes that this took place has melded into a feeling of indescrible fear, disbelief and where are my children. I live near the coast guard academy/submarine base/naval hospital in new london. the ride home was the most frightening ride in my life. I know I sound selfish, but I will never forget the helpless feeling of that ride home. I did easily 80 and I'm a typically slow driver. I found my children around 11ish. neighbors had taken them for me. Somehow these words have nothing to do with the fear. I am home today. My children were afraid if anything happened I would be too far away to find them. We went to the American Museum of Natural History in New York and the entire ride there my 7 year old was devising plans for survival if it happens again. We went to Philadelphia and the hole in the sky in New York where the towers should have been is easily the scariest thing I've ever seen.

Nothing to compare with the heroe. just a commoner's story.