Me: What a perfect morning, huh? Gorgeous!
Co-worker: I know...doesn't get much better than this.
Principal: Whatever you do, don't turn the television on.
Me: Okay, but I teach math...that won't happen.
Principal (uncharacteristically solemn): Just don't turn it on.
Students: What's going on?
Me: I have no idea, but let's get back to this equation. They'll tell us if there's anything we need to know...what should I do next with this variable?
Co-worker: Planes have hit the Twin Towers...everyone is evacuating NYC.
Me: Holy shit...small planes?
Co-worker: No...jets.
Me: This doesn't happen here. Sounds like war. This doesn't happen here.
Me: I can't get through to my family. The cell phones aren't working.
Co-worker: They've shut them down in case the people who did this are trying to communicate with each other.
Me: I know, but I need to know...they're in New York and Boston...I need to know.
Co-worker: Keep trying.
Student: I heard the World Trade Center was attacked. Are they going to bomb the school?
Me: I'm not clear on the details, but I don't think it was a bomb. You're safe.
Student: I'm nervous...my Aunt works there.
Me (fighting tears): I'm nervous too.
Secretary: Tons of parents are coming to get their kids...let them go immediately when I call them down. We have a lot of parents who work in the Twin Towers.
Me: No problem, but don't they know their kids are safe here? (that question definitely shows my naivety at the time...people want to be with their families in a time of extreme crisis...not their teachers)
Principal: We're closing early...go home and be with your family.
Me: I don't even know where my family is.
Boyfriend: This is crazy.
Me: I know.
Boyfriend: My Mom has meetings there twice a week.
Boyfriend: My Mom has meetings there twice a week.
Me: Was today one of those days?
Boyfriend (scanning TV for a familiar face): I don't know.
I spent the rest of the day like most Americans...trying to find my loved ones and crying at what I was watching on TV. I couldn't believe it. It just couldn't happen to us. It was all too much.
That day changed me, the way I did my job, my relationship, my view of what "safety" really was...my definition of a perfect morning.
Never forget...9-11-2001.
Never forget...9-11-2001.
17 comments:
9/11 slashed my soul. I will forever be impacted. On that day I had loved ones living in lower Manhattan, DC, and SW Pittsburgh. I thought the world was coming to an end. Bob and I embraced a lot that day. His hugs and Gregorian chants brought some solace.
A few weeks ago while approaching the airstrip and landing, the woman next to me turned on her cell phone. I used my teacher voice on her and said, "Shut that thing off or else I'll start screaming." She was quite pissed and dramatically shut it off. I thought to myself, "Terrorists rely on us being kind and PC. F*@%! that!" I will never remain silent. 9/11 made me a warrior.
I was a junior in high school on 9/11 (sitting in American history class, no less), and now that I'm a teacher, I try to imagine how I would have handled that situation. I cannot fathom having to go through that and maintain composure in front of the kids.
Thank you for sharing this. I still remember the news being turned on in my drama class in 12th grade (year 12 here). It was so surreal, I didn't think it was real at first.
It has changed so much of my life. My husband is in security, I didn't know him when the attacks happened, but it has changed his life and subsequently mine, dramatically. Unattended packages scare the crap out of me and on days like today I wonder if he'll really be safe at work.
So many moments ingrained in our memories forever.
i think that's the first time i've heard your account of that morning.
What a dose of reality reading your post this morning. I've watched a few 9/11 reports over the past week...not that I really planned to, but I happened upon them, and just couldn't turn away. Those have all been so powerful, and so is your post.
It's interesting to think about your day, 10 years ago, as opposed to mine...considering the geographical difference.
I was living and working in Mississippi. We had an 8:00 meeting, and one of my co-workers happened to check CNN before we headed into the conference room. We knew a plane had hit one of the towers, but of course we had no idea the magnitude of what was happening until a bit later.
I was "fortunate" that day to be at a photoshoot away from the office. The people who owned the studio actually went and bought a TV...we set it up in the alley so we could get reception from an antenna.
I remember everyone back at the office, talking about how the boss just told everybody to get back to work. He was aggravated that everyone was so preoccupied with the news, when there was work to do.
I didn't have to face that attitude (from an otherwise awesome family man, I might add), but I can only imagine how unsettling it must have been, on top of everything else, of course. I know some folks just left work. You're right...all you want to do in the face of such uncertainty - even 1000's of miles away - is be with your family.
I had never gotten into the specifics with you either, I think because you were safely away from NYC (doesn't make sense in retrospect, doesn't it?). I heard about the first plane on my way into school because it was my late day (I had after-school chorus on Tuesdays). I alerted the school first and then began a crazy day. Every minute I wasn't in class I was in the office helping with the chaos. So many of our parents worked there - some didn't come home. Remember that we couldn't get hold of Manda to be sure she and Jeff weren't flying that day?
We were changed that day forever. We will never forget...
What a powerful post you've written here. I cannot imagine what it would've been like to be teaching this day 10 years ago. I was only a freshman in college and I remember classes coming to a halt to watch the news. It is a day I will never forget. My heart will forever go out to the families broken that day.
Thanks for sharing Rebecca!! I was watching Matt and Katie on the morning show before work. I will never forget..will always be changed! Being so far away, but wanting to do everything possibly to help was hard. I can't imagine having the fear of knowing someone that could be the mix of it all!
"...definition of the perfect morning..." that gave me chills.
We were all changed by that day, collectively and individually.
Thnx for sharing and linking up.
A very numbing account. I can't imagine not knowing the safety of my family on that day. So glad your mom was okay (I saw her comment). Thank you for sharing these snippets of a very rough day.
Thanks for sharing. I ache for those kids, and you, on that day.
I just posted some of my thoughts from that day but not specifics. I remember hearing the news just before we were supposed to head outside for gym class, to the track. I was really worried about taking my students outside, especially since we were only about 1 mile from our local airport. I kept looking overheard and wishing I knew more about what was going on (we didn't have TVs in our classrooms). The eeriest thing was actually the ABSENCE of planes in the sky...despite being so close to the airport.
Several of us were so worried, even though we were in MI. I was thinking of my brothers (details on my post) while another friend worried about her sister who was a Flight Attendant and and another friend whose cousin lived in Manhattan.
Even though our area was so far removed from all that was happening - it was crazy here, too. I needed gas on the way home and it took me an hour to get it - everyone was panicked that we'd run out and the prices were going up fast. It took me a long time to get home and I was never so relieved to see my husband and turn on the tv. I hadn't seen any images all day of what was happening so I was glued to the TV to put it all straight in my head.
I think I talked to my mom 4x that night, to see if she'd talked to either of my brothers and make sure everyone was safe.
Still seems just like yesterday, not 10 years ago...
can't believe it's been 10 years!
I just wrote about how I experienced it on my blog
I was away at college and so badly wanted to be with my family, because no one knew what was going to happen.
I was in Matric that year (Grade 12)...was studying for Biology that day.
I watched the documentaries this past week on DSTV again, and just couldn't help but cry for the fear and loss of so many people. Really a sad day :(
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