On a beautiful Sunday, September 9, 2001 my husband and I took a ride into NYC. We wandered down to the South Street Seaport. We walked through the shops and maritime museum and sat on the benches on the riverfront watching boats and people out enjoying a gorgeous late summer day. There was a street musician performing and an ice cream vendor. Lots of people out and about in the city.
Before we headed back home, I asked my husband to take me to the WTC since I had never seen it up close. He had been there a few times before, seeing clients. As we drove around the complex, he pointed out in which tower he attended meetings and described the spectacular view. I wanted to go the observation deck but for some reason changed my mind and was content to look at lower Manhattan from the front seat of our car. I remember tilting my head and looking up through the windshied as we passed in front of the towers, trying to take in the size of the buildings from that awkward perspective. I remember saying to my husband we should write a note to Mayor Guiliani telling him what a fine job he was doing and what a pleasure it was to visit NYC since he became mayor.
Less than 48 hours later, both of us, sent home early from work, sat the entire day and night in front of the television disbelieving and numb, trying to get our minds to comprehend what our eyes were seeing.
I've seen this tribute before and each time it still brings all the emotions back just as it did on September 11, 2001.
We'll never forget...
Exactly one month later they were gone...