The Day the Earth Stood Still

September 11, 2001, where were you?

It's a generational thing. For our great-grandparents it was the Stock Market Crash of '29. Our grandparents remembered the day that will live in infamy, Pearl Harbor. For our parents, they never forgot the events of November 22, 1963.

September 11, 2001, the day the earth stood still.

 The day began with getting my then 11 and 7 year old sons off to school. My sweet three year old daughter and I came home, cleaned up breakfast and got ready to go to the YMCA.

The gas tank was on E so we stopped at the Amoco station near the house. The day was beautiful, blue skies and no clouds. It was our first taste of fall in Florida. I left the window down and the car radio on for Julia while I pumped gas.

When I got back in the car, the radio was no longer playing music.  I thought that my daughter had changed the station with tuner beside her car seat. After fussing at her, I caught a bit of a developing story in New York. A plane had hit one of the Twin Towers.

I didn't listen too closely. My daughter was asking about snacks and playtime at the Y nursery. When I walked into the building, every tv was tuned to CNN, NBC, and CBS.

The few people on the treadmills and machines were watching the events on t.v. with a vague interest. It was far away in New York. Details were sketchy and they seemed to imply a freak accident.
And then the second plane hit. As I got on the stair climber the reports were coming in. I was watching the Today Show on the screen above me. Smoke was billowing out of the holes  that had appeared in the side of both towers.

Matt Lauer was now talking by phone to the Pentagon reporter about rumors that this may be a terrorist attack. As they were speaking, the reporter heard a loud bang. He asked Matt to hold the line.
His next words stopped my furious pumping on the stair climber.

The third plane hit. I cried out across the room, "The Pentagon's been hit!" No other station had the news. Everyone came running over to where I stood, spellbound as we listened to the reporter tell Matt Lauer that his office was being evacuated, smoke and flames were everywhere.

I began to shake as the reality sunk in. We were under attack. This could be the end of our existence. Who knew where the next plane would strike. Our naval base close by? A skyscraper downtown?
I grabbed up my daughter and headed home.

The first tower fell.

I called the school. The children were safe. I decided to go get them after I called and checked on my family. My husband was at a meeting in Daytona. They were just getting the news. My oldest brother, a Fire Chief, had just arrived at the National Fire College in Emmitsburg, Maryland. They were told to vacate the premises immediately. Later we learned that facility was an evacuation point for the Vice President.

My parents, my brothers, sisters, and relatives in Maryland, safe for now. Still shaking I heard of a plane crash in Pennsylvania. No one knew then that it was another hijack.

I watched live as the second tower fell. I was physically sick. My knees buckled and I went down to the floor. My daughter ran over to me, convinced I was going to sit and play with her.  I tried not to show her the fear in my eyes, the trembling arms that held her close. My pounding heart and shallow breath as I struggled not to scream and run around in a panic.

Where were you on the day time stopped?