story9207.xml

story9207.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2003-04-23

It had to have been the most beautiful of days that morning. Not a cloud in the sky and warm for September. I had just gotten to my desk when I hear a rumble, similar to thunder, the light flickered on and off and then silence. I turned and looked out the window and saw burning debris falling from the sky.I grabbed my bag and headed for the stairs. On the way down, along with many others, we talked, laughed, unaware of what was happening, all the while thinking we would be outside for a bit then we would go back up once whatever happened was cleared up.When I came out of the doors onto the plaza level and looked out, I knew I would not be going back up anytime soon. Large chunks of burning debris littered the plaza. I ran to the other side to look out onto Liberty Street, to see the cars in the small lot across the street, blackend and burning with debris all around them.I called my husband to tell him that I thought a bomb had gone off in tower 1 and that I was fine and on my way out of the building.That was the last time I spoke to him until 2pm that afternoon. We were ushered out into the mall and instructed to go out one of the exits onto the street and continue as quick as we could away from the building. Once out onto the street, (Liberty) I was standing in the middle of the road, trying to get a line out on my cell to call my mother when I heard a sound, similar to a rocket;a whistling sound that started off high pitched then became lower, followed by an enormous explosion. I was maybe 40-50 feet away from my building, Tower 2. Everyone around me started to run. I made it across the street and managed to squeeze myself into a small cranny in between the fire house and the store next to it, which had construction awning built above it. Thank god for that because it kept me from being hit with chunks of the building as well as pieces of the airplane (within eye sight was a burning seat buckle).I went into the Liberty Street Cafe where the workers were trying to find a key to open the back door to let us out through as there was no way we were going to go back onto Liberty as there was debris falling periodically.Once out, we were instructed to go into the school on Greenwich. There were were put into the auditorium and told we would be safe in there and would not be allowed to leave until the police said it was safe.After about an hour, let led us down two flights of stairs, back up another and out the back way and were told to get as far away as possible. Head towards the water, we were told.Me, being from New Jersey, and having had spent 5 1/2 years working in that building, had no idea where to go!My path train took me right inside, and I spent almost every lunch hour, working or eating in the building. Sure I'd been in the surrounding area but that was it!With the path down, I had no idea how to get home.So, like hundreds of others, I stood on Greenwich Street, 2 blocks away, just staring with disbelief, watching the smoke, watching the people jumping. That was when the building started to go.I turned to a woman next to me and yelled, "Run." Fortunately, there was an office building not far from where we stood and we ran inside. We ran to the other side of the building and threw ourselves on the floor.We felt the building shake and heard the loud rumbling.We turned to look through the glass doors onto the street and watched the day turn into night.We watched people, piling up at the doors, being trampled.Men stepping on women, banging on the doors to be let in but they wouldn't unlock them.I couldn't do anything but cry.People who worked for the building yelled for us to go to the basement, as we would be safe there so we did. There were 15 or so of us down there. They gave us water and wash clothes to clean up with and told us to wait for a few minutes and we could go up one at a time to use their office phones to call our family to tell them we were alright. Once upstairs, that was when I learned that it was a terrorist attack from a radio someone had playing on their desk.I tried my husband but couldn't get through so I called my mom.As soon as she said my name, I cried;really cried.I was alive but what about everyone else?I gave my mom instructions to call the rest of my family and I went back down to the basement as I was afraid to leave.Good decision.Within minutes, the second tower fell.Once again, the building rumbled and dust began to fall from the ceiling but it stood strong.It wasn't until weeks later that I realized how lucky we were that the buildings collapsed into themselves instead of falling over. Not that it takes away from the pain of the thousands lost but thousands more would have perished.Approximately an hour after the last of my beautiful buildings fell, I started to feel the need to get out.I just picked myself up, wet a wash cloth, and headed out onto the street.It was deserted except for a petite, oriental woman with a insulation mask over her nose and mouth.I remember thinking to myself, "How odd? Why is she scooping up the powered concrete and half burned papers and putting them in her bag?" Now I know.I headed away towards the Staten Island Ferry, not looking back.I boarded a ferry, clutched a life vest to my chest and cried.My husband managed to get a call in to me at this point and he was crying so hard I didn't know who it was.I checked my messages on my cell phone.I start to cry even today just thinking about them.The panic and pain in the voices of my family is too much to bear.I wandered around Staten Island for around 2 hours.Every mac machine was out of order, my cell phone battery had died and every payphone had a line a mile long.A police officer gave me $10 when I asked him how to get home to New Jersey with no money.I bought a pack a cigarette's, ( I had quit years ago)took the change and called my best friend (also a coworker) who lived in Staten Island to see if she made it home and if she could come get me.Her stepson came to get me while they called my husband to let him know where I was.He couldn't get to me as they had closed all the bridges and tunnels so he had to cross over the bridge on foot where I met him on the other side.I cried when my husband held me.The only thing I wanted to do was go home and sleep.Needless to say, a good nights sleep alluded me many, many months. Two weeks later, we were relocated to Water Street;1 year and 3 months to the day later, I was laid off.Strange how things changed so much after 9/11.All those people, with whom I shared, maybe a passing glance or a small smile with, on my way in to work for 5 1/2 years, are gone. I didn't know them. They didn't know me. We just shared the same space for all that time.We were family in a way. Those two beautiful towers our bond and I will miss each and every nameless face that smiled back at me or glanced my way, every day for as long as I live.