story6243.xml

story6243.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-12

I was at work in a large engineering/architecture office. One of our admin people said a plane had hit the World Trade Center and I immediately pictured that bi-plane that hit the Empire State Building years ago. I figured it was a minor incident. But people went next door to a doctor's office where there was a television and came back with the real story. I was in shock and couldn't bring myself to go watch on TV. I kept up my work . . .then people said "one of the towers came down" and I was really in shock. When I heard the other tower had come down I started to pray. The news about the Pentagon was also in the air. I can't remember when that news broke in our office. Mostly I kept working to keep my mind off what was happening. I logged onto the internet and the pope had an eloquent prayer on the Vatican's web site. I prayed harder. I had spoken with my wife on the phone a few times because she was watching it all on TV. I got home and hugged her and our little boy. She was pregnant then with another boy. What if it were them? What if it were me? As horrible as the day was, I was proud of how we all came together as Americans.