Remember The Fallen...
Wow It's been 5yrs since that fateful day. Do you remember where you were? I am going to repost this, something I wrote 4yrs ago... To those that read it before..thanks for reading it again...For you newbies..welcome to my World....
Wow It's been 5yrs since that fateful day. Do you remember where you were? I am going to repost this, something I wrote 4yrs ago... To those that read it before..thanks for reading it again...For you newbies..welcome to my World....
SPOILERS! (Click to view)
Since Others are posting their Thoughts on 9/11 I
thought I would too...
For me, it started as an ordinary Tuesday. I walked
from New York Penn Station down to 23rd Street where
my office was. Beautiful Warm September morning.
Unseasonably warm. Not a cloud in a sky. I thought to
myself Wow...its going to be a nice day. As I get to
23rd Street and 6th Avenue I looked to my right down
the Avenue of Americas to the towers. Which I always
did every morning. A habit. I went into my office sat
down and started taking Helpdesk calls.
My Boss had the tv on and he yells Oh my god...and
we're like what he tells us that a plane hit the first
tower. At first we all thought it was an accident. but
when the second plane hit I yelled Terrorists. My
coworkers looked at me: There goes Adrian wth the
negative feelings. And sure enough my fears were said
outloud by the Media. By this time our phone stopped
ringing and people were coming to the office to see
the reports.
I went to my office and turned on the news to hear
what was happened. My boss wanted us to stay inside
but by then most of us were itching to leave or at
least see it...
A supervisor ran downstairs with the video camera and
took footage of it...by this time they were both on
fire and smoke was coming from everywhere.
Reports started coming in of attacks from DC and other
places and I as with everyone else thought the worse.
This could be the end. They announced that NYC was
being shut down nothing in and out...as a Jersey
person I was like well where will I stay. My boss said
i can crash at his place but i quickly said no.
Another co worker said well we can all stay at the
job. And blurted out what i was feeling " If this is
my last days on Earth I do not Want to Spend it with
my Co-workers I rather be home with my Family." They
thought i was cruel but deep down they all felt the
same way.
Anyway, by this time nothing but helicopters and fire
engines and cop cars could be heard. And a few hours
later...the Announcer on 1010 Wins said it in such a
frantic cry" OH MY GOD, THEY ARE COMING DOWN... BOTH
TOWERS ARE GONE...GONE" I looked at my co worker and
our mouths dropped open. The anchor person began
crying actually.
MY supervisor again ran downstairs and took footage of
the emptiness of 6th avenue's skyline.
It was surreal. A few things to add to this personal
account.
I was meeting with my lead actress to give her a new
script that evening and to flesh out the film... Once
communication was cut the only thing working were
interactive pagers which we had. I later found out she
was in tower 1 when it shook. She got out.
Another Friend was on the Path Rail System en route to
WTC for some shopping and they stopped the path midway
through. THey then turned around and after they got
back to Newark NJ they were told what was happened not
b4. The only announcement was there was a fire in WTC.
I did have friends in the buildings that collapsed and
I was very worried about them. 1 group reported in
that evening so i was relieved but I had to hunt down
my other friend for 4 weeks before i found out...
Some Last Thoughts
As us Jerseyans made it toward Penn Station since they
allowed it to re-open there was nothing but
pandemonium and chaos. Pushing and Shoving Everyone
scared to stay in the city.
I got on the train and stood by the window. As the
train moved there was applause for finally getting
out. and as we left the tunnel and made it back to
Jersey all eyes went back to the city and the empty
skyline and there was quiet. No one said a word but
everyone had the same thoughts.
I finally made it home and my mom was so thankful i
got out. I even got a call from people as far away as
australia making sure i was ok.
I was one of the few that went into the city the next
day. My trains were empty and no one was at Penn
Station. I went to work. and Stupid me thought no one
would be there, sure enough I got a call about an
email problem and he snapped at me. In my mind I was
like thousands were lost and you're worried about
friggin Email. They sent the company home and told us
not to come back until two days later.
Observations I noticed on that day... after the
collapse. The streets were quiet and people walked
around in the daze. People were crying
or trying to get out of the city. But one thing that
stood out in my head was the Middle-Eastern Americans.
They went out of their way to either stay away from
anyone or went out of their way to help them. You
could feel the tension growing in the air. A part of
me wanted to join the mob of hating them but who am I
to hate another Race. I'm African American and I know
what it feels like. And besides these are people who
are trying to live just like me...Can't hate them for
that. You really cant.
As the weeks passed and the coverage was continuous. I
became more and more depressed about it. It really got
to me. Then one night i was asleep and i woke up when
i heard this loud Boom first thing out of my mouth was
OH MY GOD THEY ARE BOMBING...I later found out it was
thunder. Even by the end of the week I turned off the
coverage and watched cable and my old movies....I
needed to get away from the sadness.
A few weeks passed and I went on a lunch run for the
office. Where they wanted the food from was on 5th and
broadway. What I didnt know was that was designated
crisis center for the families and friends to setup
pictures and memorials. So as I walk I noticed more
and more candles burning and posters and signs.
Fathers, Sons, moms, children, wives, girlfriends,
firemen, police, Transit....All missing. a Sea of
Sadness and Loneliness could be see as far as the eye
could see. I stopped and read many..Too many because i
was 2 hours late coming back. I couldnt pull myself
away. As I passed the Crisis Hub i saw the bus that
shuttled the families to Ground zero area to identify
the bodies. So sad and so much pain...
I did something that I never do...I cried. Not
boohooing but i had tears and i felt genuinely sad.
In closing, i didnt go volunteer down at the site,
most of my friends thought it was too morbid of me to
even ask what was the site like, was it truly
horrific. But thats my nature. Anyway, I didnt
volunteer i didnt go to services. But i did my own
memorials. Online rememberances. Donations, Flags in
the house. True I pray i never experience the pain of
losing someone in that way. But I did have friends
there and I do mourn. The Blood of Innocents were
lost.
For several weeks there was a photography store that
had captured the whole timeline of events and they had
it displayed in color on the window. I would stop and
look every day. Morning and night. I'd go through each
one and shake my head.
I knew our way of life would never be the same. My
grandfather had Pearl Harbor....and unfortunately my
nephews have 9/11 and I know this sounds very jaded
but deep down i feel something else will happen.
So as the 2nd anniversary comes and goes I remember
the Fallen. I remember the heroism. I remember the
fear and sadness and I wonder...Is this our way of
life now or will there be peace.
Thats It Folks....Wow this is the first time i've ever
written about it. No one knew alot of this except the
people involved.
I hope its not too much to read.
Adrian
Written September 9th, 2002
thought I would too...
For me, it started as an ordinary Tuesday. I walked
from New York Penn Station down to 23rd Street where
my office was. Beautiful Warm September morning.
Unseasonably warm. Not a cloud in a sky. I thought to
myself Wow...its going to be a nice day. As I get to
23rd Street and 6th Avenue I looked to my right down
the Avenue of Americas to the towers. Which I always
did every morning. A habit. I went into my office sat
down and started taking Helpdesk calls.
My Boss had the tv on and he yells Oh my god...and
we're like what he tells us that a plane hit the first
tower. At first we all thought it was an accident. but
when the second plane hit I yelled Terrorists. My
coworkers looked at me: There goes Adrian wth the
negative feelings. And sure enough my fears were said
outloud by the Media. By this time our phone stopped
ringing and people were coming to the office to see
the reports.
I went to my office and turned on the news to hear
what was happened. My boss wanted us to stay inside
but by then most of us were itching to leave or at
least see it...
A supervisor ran downstairs with the video camera and
took footage of it...by this time they were both on
fire and smoke was coming from everywhere.
Reports started coming in of attacks from DC and other
places and I as with everyone else thought the worse.
This could be the end. They announced that NYC was
being shut down nothing in and out...as a Jersey
person I was like well where will I stay. My boss said
i can crash at his place but i quickly said no.
Another co worker said well we can all stay at the
job. And blurted out what i was feeling " If this is
my last days on Earth I do not Want to Spend it with
my Co-workers I rather be home with my Family." They
thought i was cruel but deep down they all felt the
same way.
Anyway, by this time nothing but helicopters and fire
engines and cop cars could be heard. And a few hours
later...the Announcer on 1010 Wins said it in such a
frantic cry" OH MY GOD, THEY ARE COMING DOWN... BOTH
TOWERS ARE GONE...GONE" I looked at my co worker and
our mouths dropped open. The anchor person began
crying actually.
MY supervisor again ran downstairs and took footage of
the emptiness of 6th avenue's skyline.
It was surreal. A few things to add to this personal
account.
I was meeting with my lead actress to give her a new
script that evening and to flesh out the film... Once
communication was cut the only thing working were
interactive pagers which we had. I later found out she
was in tower 1 when it shook. She got out.
Another Friend was on the Path Rail System en route to
WTC for some shopping and they stopped the path midway
through. THey then turned around and after they got
back to Newark NJ they were told what was happened not
b4. The only announcement was there was a fire in WTC.
I did have friends in the buildings that collapsed and
I was very worried about them. 1 group reported in
that evening so i was relieved but I had to hunt down
my other friend for 4 weeks before i found out...
Some Last Thoughts
As us Jerseyans made it toward Penn Station since they
allowed it to re-open there was nothing but
pandemonium and chaos. Pushing and Shoving Everyone
scared to stay in the city.
I got on the train and stood by the window. As the
train moved there was applause for finally getting
out. and as we left the tunnel and made it back to
Jersey all eyes went back to the city and the empty
skyline and there was quiet. No one said a word but
everyone had the same thoughts.
I finally made it home and my mom was so thankful i
got out. I even got a call from people as far away as
australia making sure i was ok.
I was one of the few that went into the city the next
day. My trains were empty and no one was at Penn
Station. I went to work. and Stupid me thought no one
would be there, sure enough I got a call about an
email problem and he snapped at me. In my mind I was
like thousands were lost and you're worried about
friggin Email. They sent the company home and told us
not to come back until two days later.
Observations I noticed on that day... after the
collapse. The streets were quiet and people walked
around in the daze. People were crying
or trying to get out of the city. But one thing that
stood out in my head was the Middle-Eastern Americans.
They went out of their way to either stay away from
anyone or went out of their way to help them. You
could feel the tension growing in the air. A part of
me wanted to join the mob of hating them but who am I
to hate another Race. I'm African American and I know
what it feels like. And besides these are people who
are trying to live just like me...Can't hate them for
that. You really cant.
As the weeks passed and the coverage was continuous. I
became more and more depressed about it. It really got
to me. Then one night i was asleep and i woke up when
i heard this loud Boom first thing out of my mouth was
OH MY GOD THEY ARE BOMBING...I later found out it was
thunder. Even by the end of the week I turned off the
coverage and watched cable and my old movies....I
needed to get away from the sadness.
A few weeks passed and I went on a lunch run for the
office. Where they wanted the food from was on 5th and
broadway. What I didnt know was that was designated
crisis center for the families and friends to setup
pictures and memorials. So as I walk I noticed more
and more candles burning and posters and signs.
Fathers, Sons, moms, children, wives, girlfriends,
firemen, police, Transit....All missing. a Sea of
Sadness and Loneliness could be see as far as the eye
could see. I stopped and read many..Too many because i
was 2 hours late coming back. I couldnt pull myself
away. As I passed the Crisis Hub i saw the bus that
shuttled the families to Ground zero area to identify
the bodies. So sad and so much pain...
I did something that I never do...I cried. Not
boohooing but i had tears and i felt genuinely sad.
In closing, i didnt go volunteer down at the site,
most of my friends thought it was too morbid of me to
even ask what was the site like, was it truly
horrific. But thats my nature. Anyway, I didnt
volunteer i didnt go to services. But i did my own
memorials. Online rememberances. Donations, Flags in
the house. True I pray i never experience the pain of
losing someone in that way. But I did have friends
there and I do mourn. The Blood of Innocents were
lost.
For several weeks there was a photography store that
had captured the whole timeline of events and they had
it displayed in color on the window. I would stop and
look every day. Morning and night. I'd go through each
one and shake my head.
I knew our way of life would never be the same. My
grandfather had Pearl Harbor....and unfortunately my
nephews have 9/11 and I know this sounds very jaded
but deep down i feel something else will happen.
So as the 2nd anniversary comes and goes I remember
the Fallen. I remember the heroism. I remember the
fear and sadness and I wonder...Is this our way of
life now or will there be peace.
Thats It Folks....Wow this is the first time i've ever
written about it. No one knew alot of this except the
people involved.
I hope its not too much to read.
Adrian
Written September 9th, 2002
5yrs and what's changed...to me its something how the entire planet changes by 1 event. We are little more cautious, a little more paranoid, more fearful of our fellow man and often wonder, what's in store for us...Some Americans Got a Wakeup call that day, Americans are not as well loved as we believe...we're actually hated...
What can I say...
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World
infinity:
reading that was surreal. it really hit home and left me just without words to say. i really am speechless after reading about how it was really deeply emotional.