Monday, September 11, 2006
Where Were You When....?
Growing up I heard people talk about different moments that had occurred and what they were doing as it happened. Usually it was "Where were you when Kennedy was shot?" or "Where were you when Challenger blew up?". For Kennedy, I was still 8 years away from being born. For Challenger, I was shy of my 15th birthday, at school. I had to look up to see when was the Challenger accident, that's how little I remember that day. I do have a "Where were you?" moment though:
9/11/01
Today is the 5th Anniversary and I can remember that day/week in vivid detail.
Monday 9/10/01
I flew to DC that morning to begin an audit of the first of two companies being visited that week. The company was a small public relations agency that specialized in crisis issues. If a client called, it wasn't to share good news. The client needed help to get their issue/story out of the news or shown in a more positive light. In getting background on the agency, we found out American Airlines was one of their clients. 18 hours later, this bit of info was going spur a grim remark.
Being in DC is a special wonderful thing for me. It is one of two cities/areas I'd consider living in were I to leave Chicago. The other is the San Francisco area where George Lucas's media empire is based. Five months earlier, I celebrated my 30th birthday with trip for B and I to DC. Having fallen in love with the city in the 8th grade, it continues to hold a special place in my heart. Being able to come back so soon was wonderful. I had plans to meet up with new friends and expected to share a book and time with an old friend, Abe.
Tuesday 9/11/01
The morning started as usual. My co-workers and I went to the second office where we would spend the remainder of the week. We walked in just before 9:00am. As we pass one of the conference rooms, we see a few of the staff watching tv. We get to our conference room and put our things down. Our contact at the office comes in shortly. We find out that a plane has hit the World Trade Center. Like many people around the country, I'm surprised at the news and wonder how a little Cessna plane hits the WTC. Not much is really thought about it. Shortly thereafter, we hear a second plane has hit the WTC. My co-workers and I quickly find the first conference room and begin to watch the news coverage that would last for a very long time.
Watching the replay of the second plane hitting the WTC was numbing. You question the situation, but in reality nothing makes sense. You just sit there and watch. It was at this time that I looked over to Josh and Henry, my co-workers, and say "I guess we know who got a phone call this morning". Morbid and completely inappropriate, but accurate.
I was still thinking the fires in the two towers will be put out and the damage repaired. My co-workers and I spend time going back and forth between conference rooms trying to get work done, but still drawn to CNN, trying to work through the shock. We finally give up all pretense, pick up our computers and move into the conference room with the tv.
Of this entire week, I can remember almost every detail in exact order, except for three things. The office I'm visiting gets evacuated because a fire alarm goes off, CNN announces the Sears Tower has been evacuated, and the North Tower collapses. I know I looked at my watch at 10:28 thinking I'll remember this minute forever. 5 years later I'm fairly correct. I remembered the time, not the reason.
The office getting evacuated due to the fire alarm was a bit surreal. It was around this time rumors, gossip, and mild paranoia started spreading. While outside waiting to be able to go back inside, I over hear a woman on the phone repeating that the Pentagon has been hit and the Capitol has been bombed. One turned out correct, the other incorrect. We get back inside a few minutes later, resuming our vigil around the tv. CNN confirms the Pentagon has been struck by an airplane.
By the time North Tower collapses, I will have spent 90 minutes within 5 blocks of the White House. Not for one second does this give me pause nor do I question about my safety. I am easily in the debris zone should something occur at the White House. I have seen one airplane hit the WTC and watch both towers collapse. I'm not phased other than shock. When I see CNN announce the Sears Tower has been evacuated, I go into my own personal panic. At that moment I start grabbing phones trying to get a hold of anyone in Chicago. I nearly assault one of the DC employees over a phone code because my cellphone isn't working and the office phones require a code to dial out. I finally am able to reach my mom in Chicago. Hearing her voice calms me down. (It's 5 years later and this memory still affects me. I was scared.) I give her B's phone number and tell her to call him and let him know I'm fine. I was able to reach him myself soon thereafter, but I didn't know. Except for those few minutes, I'm calm the remainder of the week. Able and willing to step in and support those around me.
It is only after looking up various timelines that I'm able to put things into actual order. Otherwise those three events are a haze as to the order they occurred. I'm not sure why.
While I can remember the entire week, those 100 minutes remain the strongest and most impactful in my memory.
The rest of the day and week are spent trying to maintain some normalcy. Josh was supposed to attend a wedding on Saturday for a good friend of his. The bride has family coming in from India. I try to reassure him things will be fine, the family will be able to fly in and the wedding of his friends will occur. Henry and Josh end up taking a train back to NYC later in the week since the airports are still shut down. Renting a car and driving back is nearly impossible.
I spend the week in DC. My visit with Abe gets cancelled as all the monuments are closed. I go out to dinner Thursday with friends. We bar hop too. Any of my expectations for the evening while achieved in some manner, don't have near the intensity or energy.
Saturday afternoon I board a train that will get me to Chicago 18 hours later. I spend most of the time in one of the social cars. I sit on the upper deck looking out the windows, enjoying the sun hitting me through the skylights. I talk to a couple of people. Sharing our experience as many do around the world. I avoid my assigned seat as much as possible. Being the middle of summer I'm wearing short sleeves. The "gentleman" in the seat next to me is also in short sleeves. He has very hairy arms. His lack of spatial awareness causes him to continually brush up against me. The feel of his hair on my arms creeps me out. Trying to sleep and keep him from touching my arms is a challenge.
At this point in my career, I had been traveling regularly for over 2 years. My family and friends knew I was flying around the country, but rarely where I would be until after I returned. For some reason this trip was different. Practically everyone who knew me, knew I was in Washington DC. My parents and B got numerous emails and phone calls asking about me. This was a phenomena that would never repeat.
We all have our "Where were you when moments". This is mine. I hope my next one is more joyous. I don't expect it to be. Joy doesn't seem to unite the world as much as sadness. I'm going to do my best to change that.
Growing up I heard people talk about different moments that had occurred and what they were doing as it happened. Usually it was "Where were you when Kennedy was shot?" or "Where were you when Challenger blew up?". For Kennedy, I was still 8 years away from being born. For Challenger, I was shy of my 15th birthday, at school. I had to look up to see when was the Challenger accident, that's how little I remember that day. I do have a "Where were you?" moment though:
9/11/01
Today is the 5th Anniversary and I can remember that day/week in vivid detail.
Monday 9/10/01
I flew to DC that morning to begin an audit of the first of two companies being visited that week. The company was a small public relations agency that specialized in crisis issues. If a client called, it wasn't to share good news. The client needed help to get their issue/story out of the news or shown in a more positive light. In getting background on the agency, we found out American Airlines was one of their clients. 18 hours later, this bit of info was going spur a grim remark.
Being in DC is a special wonderful thing for me. It is one of two cities/areas I'd consider living in were I to leave Chicago. The other is the San Francisco area where George Lucas's media empire is based. Five months earlier, I celebrated my 30th birthday with trip for B and I to DC. Having fallen in love with the city in the 8th grade, it continues to hold a special place in my heart. Being able to come back so soon was wonderful. I had plans to meet up with new friends and expected to share a book and time with an old friend, Abe.
Tuesday 9/11/01
The morning started as usual. My co-workers and I went to the second office where we would spend the remainder of the week. We walked in just before 9:00am. As we pass one of the conference rooms, we see a few of the staff watching tv. We get to our conference room and put our things down. Our contact at the office comes in shortly. We find out that a plane has hit the World Trade Center. Like many people around the country, I'm surprised at the news and wonder how a little Cessna plane hits the WTC. Not much is really thought about it. Shortly thereafter, we hear a second plane has hit the WTC. My co-workers and I quickly find the first conference room and begin to watch the news coverage that would last for a very long time.
Watching the replay of the second plane hitting the WTC was numbing. You question the situation, but in reality nothing makes sense. You just sit there and watch. It was at this time that I looked over to Josh and Henry, my co-workers, and say "I guess we know who got a phone call this morning". Morbid and completely inappropriate, but accurate.
I was still thinking the fires in the two towers will be put out and the damage repaired. My co-workers and I spend time going back and forth between conference rooms trying to get work done, but still drawn to CNN, trying to work through the shock. We finally give up all pretense, pick up our computers and move into the conference room with the tv.
Of this entire week, I can remember almost every detail in exact order, except for three things. The office I'm visiting gets evacuated because a fire alarm goes off, CNN announces the Sears Tower has been evacuated, and the North Tower collapses. I know I looked at my watch at 10:28 thinking I'll remember this minute forever. 5 years later I'm fairly correct. I remembered the time, not the reason.
The office getting evacuated due to the fire alarm was a bit surreal. It was around this time rumors, gossip, and mild paranoia started spreading. While outside waiting to be able to go back inside, I over hear a woman on the phone repeating that the Pentagon has been hit and the Capitol has been bombed. One turned out correct, the other incorrect. We get back inside a few minutes later, resuming our vigil around the tv. CNN confirms the Pentagon has been struck by an airplane.
By the time North Tower collapses, I will have spent 90 minutes within 5 blocks of the White House. Not for one second does this give me pause nor do I question about my safety. I am easily in the debris zone should something occur at the White House. I have seen one airplane hit the WTC and watch both towers collapse. I'm not phased other than shock. When I see CNN announce the Sears Tower has been evacuated, I go into my own personal panic. At that moment I start grabbing phones trying to get a hold of anyone in Chicago. I nearly assault one of the DC employees over a phone code because my cellphone isn't working and the office phones require a code to dial out. I finally am able to reach my mom in Chicago. Hearing her voice calms me down. (It's 5 years later and this memory still affects me. I was scared.) I give her B's phone number and tell her to call him and let him know I'm fine. I was able to reach him myself soon thereafter, but I didn't know. Except for those few minutes, I'm calm the remainder of the week. Able and willing to step in and support those around me.
It is only after looking up various timelines that I'm able to put things into actual order. Otherwise those three events are a haze as to the order they occurred. I'm not sure why.
While I can remember the entire week, those 100 minutes remain the strongest and most impactful in my memory.
The rest of the day and week are spent trying to maintain some normalcy. Josh was supposed to attend a wedding on Saturday for a good friend of his. The bride has family coming in from India. I try to reassure him things will be fine, the family will be able to fly in and the wedding of his friends will occur. Henry and Josh end up taking a train back to NYC later in the week since the airports are still shut down. Renting a car and driving back is nearly impossible.
I spend the week in DC. My visit with Abe gets cancelled as all the monuments are closed. I go out to dinner Thursday with friends. We bar hop too. Any of my expectations for the evening while achieved in some manner, don't have near the intensity or energy.
Saturday afternoon I board a train that will get me to Chicago 18 hours later. I spend most of the time in one of the social cars. I sit on the upper deck looking out the windows, enjoying the sun hitting me through the skylights. I talk to a couple of people. Sharing our experience as many do around the world. I avoid my assigned seat as much as possible. Being the middle of summer I'm wearing short sleeves. The "gentleman" in the seat next to me is also in short sleeves. He has very hairy arms. His lack of spatial awareness causes him to continually brush up against me. The feel of his hair on my arms creeps me out. Trying to sleep and keep him from touching my arms is a challenge.
At this point in my career, I had been traveling regularly for over 2 years. My family and friends knew I was flying around the country, but rarely where I would be until after I returned. For some reason this trip was different. Practically everyone who knew me, knew I was in Washington DC. My parents and B got numerous emails and phone calls asking about me. This was a phenomena that would never repeat.
We all have our "Where were you when moments". This is mine. I hope my next one is more joyous. I don't expect it to be. Joy doesn't seem to unite the world as much as sadness. I'm going to do my best to change that.
