Saturday, September 11, 2010

Memories of 9/11


I found this video after following a link to a 9/11 Tribute video. And it got me to remembering that day. How a room full of 15 + year olds were scared. Many at the school I went too were Air Force kids. This is how I remember 9/11

We had just switched from Algebra to homeroom, which also happened to be the Algebra classroom. Kids were leaving the room for bathroom breaks and the like. One of my classmates runs back in the room and cries, "They've locked down the Base!" Of course several of us were clueless to the events in NYC. Another classmate says, "Oh some idiot flew a plane into the World Trade Center," Teacher turns the TV on and we soon discover it wasn't an accident. While were were in class, a second plane hit the second tower. Choir was a lost cause. I'm actually glad I didn't see the Towers fall live. It was bad enough watching people chose between fire and a long fall. I rally don't know if I could have handled watching the fall. Lunch and study hall I was out of the loop. Spanish showed me what I'd missed. My first reaction to seeing all the debris scattered all over the scene: "Oh my God!" Another loss cause class. Everyone was glued to the TV. On the bus ride home we saw kids standing on the side of the road with "Honk if you love America" signs. The driver honked several times. We passed a couple of gas stations. Cars were waiting in line in the street. First thing I did when I got home was turn the TV on. I listened while I showered. I didn't bother to dry my hair. I stayed in front of the TV until my parents got home. When my mom came in, she hugged me. I asked "Why?" She said, "I don't know," I finally let it go. We both cried. When my dad got home we ate in silence. I didn't fully understand what had happened but I did know war was looming and someone had attacked us. I didn't know who Ben Ladin was. I never could tell the difference in Iraq and Iran. I did know I was scared.

In the weeks to come we wondered if my dad would be reinstated into the Air Force. There were a lot of what ifs going around for a long time. I pray and hope future generations don't see something like this again.

Ice Queen

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