9/11 Remembered

Monday, September 11, 2006

Malach memories of 9/11.
I did not personally know anyone who was killed even indirectly in those events, but those events affected me greatly as a person. I can recall 5 years ago, working my old job. This job consisted of spending alot of time driving around the city of New Bedford, going from one client location to another client location. My employer was cheap and peferred I drove a company van (15 passenger) than my own personal car. My wife was 8 1/2 months pregnant, we had just bought our first house, so I was on edge for that.

I remember listening to the Howard Stern show when I first heard the news, and like everyone else, I was a bit shocked that an airliner would crash into the WTC on a perfectly clear day. I admit, I did not at first think it was anything more than an accident, a tragic accident (BTW, that Howard Stern show was amazing, and one of the best coverages of the event during and the days following). Since I was a news buff, and Stern's description peaked my curosity, I went home to turn on the news . . . I remember seeing the first images of the North Tower, the gaping hole, the fire, and that's when I realized something just did not seem right. It was perfectly clear, and how could a plane that size be flying that low over Manhatten like that, and the whole, there was no plane debris, it was like it had hit it like a missle . . . then suddenly the second plane hit.

Everthing changed for me after that. I immediately realized this was no longer an accident. I seriously thought that this was the beginning of WWIII (and who knows, perhaps it was). That hour or so between the second hit and the first collapse was wild. Rampant Speculation on the "reputable" news about multiple planes, helicopters, missles possibly being fired at buildings all over the country. I remember time moved very slowly, and every minute seemed like an hour. I remember the human drama, the bodies falling hundred of feet, the surreal rain of paper, and the confusion.

At home no one was on the street, nothing was in the air. The only action: emergency vehicles were rushing all over my city. Word came something had hit the pentagon, and rumors were talking about planes taking aim at the White House). I recall reports of machine gun fire in our capital.

When the towers collapsed, I was stunned. I did not think that would or could happen to a building designed like the WTC. Memories of my many trips to NYC to the top of that building came flooding back, I assumed 10 of 1000's of people had just died.

I remember how I felt, the fear, the anger, the trepidation . . .It is something I will never forget.

I remeber telling my wife that the world at that moment had changed . . . as much as when the Soviet Union collapsed. I recall seriously thinking about buying some guns (I too had memories of Red Dawn). The World has changed.