This evening Katy and I watched the History Channel's broadcast this evening of The 102 Minutes That Changed The World. All the images are still so haunting. We watched almost in complete silence, still digesting everything that went on that day. EVERYONE remembers where they were at that moment. Here's my story:
It was my freshman year at JMU and we had just begun classes. Tuesday mornings I had an 8am GCOM class in Harrison. For some reason we got out really early that day - class was supposed to go to 9:15 but we got out sometime around 8:45. I lived in Hoffman so the walk back to the dorm was not far and one of the girls in my class also lived there so we headed back together. There was no one in the lobby when we came in but as soon as I got to my floor, I saw everyone's doors open with people walking back and forth between them. Someone in the hall said "a plane flew into one of the Twin Towers!" and I dropped my stuff and joined them in someone's room. All of us were away from home for the first time and since it was early in the year we barely knew each other but we sat stuffed in the tiny dorm rooms comforting each other as we saw the second plane fly into the other tower, the towers falling and hearing of the attack on the Pentagon and the crash in Pennsylvania. I didn't have any other classes that day and those who did skipped them to watch the news, comfort those with family working in the Pentagon and flying that day whom hadn't heard from loved ones yet, and just trying to comprehend what was happening. I think it was that evening, maybe it was the next - it's a little fuzzy - I attended the campus wide vigil.
Where were you?
In New York this week, beams of light have been shining up to the sky where the towers once stood. Tonight after viewing the History Channel's programming, Katy and I went up to my roof to look just south of my apartment:
I was in whatever gen.ed. health... I came into that huge lecture hall on the East Campus and was temporarily confused -- no teacher, just CNN being broadcast on the enormous screen in the middle of the room. That's actually the only thing I remember about the entire day... just that one moment. Weird, huh?
ReplyDeleteYeah, that would be really confusing! I've heard other people say they don't remember much of the rest of the day either. In such a stressful time, I'm not that surprised. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI was a junior in HS, got into second period (which was US History) and he had the TV on. We would watch, then just as we thought nothing more would happen, he would turn the volume down. The first time he did that, the 2nd tower was hit, the next time, the pentagon. He decided to just leave it on for the rest of class. But in 3rd period chem, she wouldn't let us watch due to the amount of students whose families worked in the Pentagon. But by that time, those students went home to be with their families.
ReplyDeleteYou are right Sarah, the feelings are still so raw. When in Philly last month, we went to the Fireman's Hall Museum (they are the 1st fire co. in the country!) They had an entire wall about 9/11 and photos of all the firemen who lost their lives. One day I hope to be at the Pentagon or NYC for the recognition of the fallen.