story1240.xml

story1240.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-08-19

I had been interviewing on Sept 10 all day with a seattle biotech firm. I was looking for forward to a nice flight home .
. At 6:00 am local time , I boarded the plane . I remember watching cnn before getting on the plane( boring stuff), there was nothing about the attacks then. My biggest concern at the time was having nice seat near the alise and not smelling other people body oder for 5 hours. I was still suffering from jet lag and my bioclock was out of wack. So I was running out autopilot. The plane was crowded and I was feeling put upon by individuals with too much carryon luggage and crying babies. As single person, I know , I am self center in my view of the world.
The captain can on the loud speaker, and the announed the first attack on he world trade. I sitting there like everyone else on the plane dumbfounded.I was just thinking about myself and getting home . The reality of the people that had just lost their lives was not on my mind.To me at that time their deaths were not as importnt having a nice trip home. Then came word of the second attack and the of pentagon attack. The captain announed that the flight was cancel and we will be evacting the plane.
Confused and anger , I had to think fast and clearing. After the plane was evacted, I was in strange airplane in a town and knew no one. Terminate was a madhouse
people going everywhere. Then another announament, for everyone leave the gate area and return the main terminal. I was thinking now what to do next. I notice other individuals had family and friend to help and guide them.They were the lucking one. I was stranger and in strange land.
I was able to find my luggage and I proceed to the united terminal. There I was informed that the airport would be closing soon and there was no hotel room available near airport.Now the airport was beening evacted an the authorities were not letting in cabs. I was able to contact the the hotel in downtown seattle were I have been standing . They had watching the news also and agree to hold my room. Great first piece of luck for me in this odessey(great great).
The airport authority agree to allow cabs into the airport parking. As I made my way to the parking area carrying luggages and surrounded by scare individuals like myself.People were states that we were at war. People were hugging their love one. They were overcome with joy .
A large limousine pull into the parking area. I took one look at it , and informed the driver that I could not afford this into seattle. The driver then informed me that it would only be thrity dollar. Wow great . He pick up two another passagers . These individuals were from germany. I could not comprehend what was going though their minds at this time.
The driver allow me to use the phone ,I did not have my cell phone with me.I tried several to call family and friends back east . I wanted to tell my family that I was ok, I was off the plane. All lines back east were blocked(overloaded). My family knew my travel plans. I knew they would scare. I made my way back to the hotel my room had not been rent out and they were most helpful in this time of need.
When I got to my room I tried several again to call family. My parnets are news junkie,We watch the news all the time. I knew that they were going out of their mind with worry. I knew that there was internet cafe up the street from the hotel. Email I thought, I ran up this street to the cafe. The individuals at the cafe were still unaware of what happen . I set up hotmail account and email my family that was ok, was back at the hotel. I also told them not to worry. A guy sat down near and he started surfing the net and drinking his coffee. I asked him if he knew what just happen . He look at me and staed no. I showed him the cnn. He almost fell to his knee with disbelief.
I returned back to my hotel room (THE ALEXIS). I was inundated with the news and of the date events. I saw the palastines dancing in the street with joy. At that point the reality was setting. Three thousand just lost their lives for being on a plane and people were dancing in the street about it. Countless families were just ripped apart for nothing and these palastines were dancing, god damm it. They were dancing . The anger that I had never felt before was very real to me. The Anger almost a being of itself was very real.
I made contact with the company that I was interviewing with in seattle. They were great also. They said that they would pick up tap and make arrangement to get me home.I know that I could not just sit in a hotel watching the news. This was not healthy. I went up to pike street market. I passed a news stand , I noticed the arabic newspaper. I wanted to tear the newspaper off the shelf,and tear it into pieces. That anger wanted to manafest itself in a very real way. I didn't do it ,the anger was a beast ready to show it self to the world.

After getting something to eat and a cold beer, I was able to call home. Everyone was glad hear from me. They knew my flight number and knew that I did not make off the ground. I spend the next six in seattle and took a couple day to the mt and victoria ca.