story5862.xml
Title
story5862.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2002-09-12
911DA Story: Story
I got out of the shower and saw the image of the first tower on TV, smoke billowing out of the side. At first, like so many other Americans, I thought it was yet another tragic plane wreck. As I was getting ready for work, I saw and heard the reports of the second plane hitting the second tower. I immediately sunk into the chair, thinking, "Oh my God, the SOB did it! Bin Laden, the SOB, did it!" I went onto AOL Instant Messenger and told my husband about the towers. It was the first he had heard of it, as he was at work. As I drove to work, I listened to reports - some only rumors, but the chaos this created is bound to create rumors among the valid news stories. I heard about the Pentagon - first one plane, then a report of a second one. I was taking my son to his day care in SE Portland (we live in Gresham), and during the next 1/2 hour, I heard the reports coming in, heard the newscasters' tears and anger coming across the airwaves. I was almost numb with shock. After dropping off my son, yet more stories were coming in about other planes that were missing. As I was making my way to our office in Milwaukie (I work for the State of Oregon), I heard of the first tower's collapse. I was driving through a construction site at that moment, and wanted to tell them what was happening. Total shock went through me when I heard about the second tower's collapse. When I got to work, my team was getting ready for a meeting. We had the TV on in the room while waiting for everyone to arrive, and watched in horror the replays of the collapses. One of my coworkers came into the room and was upset by our fixation on the events in New York. At that time, I doubt she realized the implications of what was happening. Another coworker came in, visibly shaken, and said her daughter is living not far from the towers and she was worried sick. I gave her my cell phone to try and reach her. Several hours later, her other daughter later called her at our office in Oregon City and said she had talked to the daughter in New York, and she was doing ok.
During our break, several of us watched again the reports of the towers, and then the Pentagon, replayed several times. I also talked to another worker whose son is in the military, and was concerned he was going to be hurt. When I got back into my car after my meeting, I listened, once again in shock, to stories of people who were supposed to be in the towers, but by some miracle or another, seeming as an annoyance at the moment, were kept from being there. One woman had an appointment at the WTC. She had a daughter with her who was hungry, so they had stopped to eat, and therefore were miraculously saved from the horror and turmoil. Many stories like this were being reported as a positive note.
When I walked into my office in Oregon City, I saw that each row of cubicles had a television in it. Those televisions were on for the next two days, keeping us all informed of the events. They were our link to New York, Washington, and the entire United States. When I came back from my break, there were three ribbons on my desk, one red, one white, and one blue. I tied them to my antennae on my car, and they are still there today. We all started collecting flags, ribbons, anything to show our patriotism, even on one of the darkest days of our lives.
As I drove to work over the next week, I saw more and more cars with flags, banners, printed photos from computers, ribbons, bumper stickers, and anything else patriotic. The local craft stores sold out of their patriotic and red, blue and white ribbons. It seemed like every store had flags and bumper stickers to sell. I bought pins with red, white and blue ribbons tied in a bow for my coworkers.
The horror on what seems like the other side of the world has hit close to home, and hit hard.
In October, my husband and I braved the airports. We felt safe! The safety measures taken, though there may be mistakes from time to time, have been for our safety, not to make us late or annoy us. I bought t-shirts with a flag that read, "We are not afraid." My son has a t-shirt with "USA" in our patriotic colors. Not long ago, I learned the Twenty-Dollar-Bill trick. When folded properly, it shows the twin towers, burning, and the Pentagon, after the crash. The number is significant as well - there were 19 hijackers, but an additional one sits incarcerated for his horrific crimes.
Today, one year later, many of us wore Red, White and Blue. We, as an office, stood and said the Pledge, and my team then went outside and said it in front of the flag. My teammates sang "Let Freedom Ring." Although we are miles away from the sites of tragedy, we are continually reminded that we live in America, and our freedom is just that - OURS.
During our break, several of us watched again the reports of the towers, and then the Pentagon, replayed several times. I also talked to another worker whose son is in the military, and was concerned he was going to be hurt. When I got back into my car after my meeting, I listened, once again in shock, to stories of people who were supposed to be in the towers, but by some miracle or another, seeming as an annoyance at the moment, were kept from being there. One woman had an appointment at the WTC. She had a daughter with her who was hungry, so they had stopped to eat, and therefore were miraculously saved from the horror and turmoil. Many stories like this were being reported as a positive note.
When I walked into my office in Oregon City, I saw that each row of cubicles had a television in it. Those televisions were on for the next two days, keeping us all informed of the events. They were our link to New York, Washington, and the entire United States. When I came back from my break, there were three ribbons on my desk, one red, one white, and one blue. I tied them to my antennae on my car, and they are still there today. We all started collecting flags, ribbons, anything to show our patriotism, even on one of the darkest days of our lives.
As I drove to work over the next week, I saw more and more cars with flags, banners, printed photos from computers, ribbons, bumper stickers, and anything else patriotic. The local craft stores sold out of their patriotic and red, blue and white ribbons. It seemed like every store had flags and bumper stickers to sell. I bought pins with red, white and blue ribbons tied in a bow for my coworkers.
The horror on what seems like the other side of the world has hit close to home, and hit hard.
In October, my husband and I braved the airports. We felt safe! The safety measures taken, though there may be mistakes from time to time, have been for our safety, not to make us late or annoy us. I bought t-shirts with a flag that read, "We are not afraid." My son has a t-shirt with "USA" in our patriotic colors. Not long ago, I learned the Twenty-Dollar-Bill trick. When folded properly, it shows the twin towers, burning, and the Pentagon, after the crash. The number is significant as well - there were 19 hijackers, but an additional one sits incarcerated for his horrific crimes.
Today, one year later, many of us wore Red, White and Blue. We, as an office, stood and said the Pledge, and my team then went outside and said it in front of the flag. My teammates sang "Let Freedom Ring." Although we are miles away from the sites of tragedy, we are continually reminded that we live in America, and our freedom is just that - OURS.
Collection
Citation
“story5862.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed January 25, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/6599.