Posted on 09/12/2001 9:22:07 PM PDT by ICU812
Its been almost two days since I watched an airplane slam into the WTC. And like everyone else I've spent the better part of those two days glued to my television set watching the events in New York unfold. I've shed more than a few tears at the images and stories I've seen and heard but (and I thank GOD for this) none of my loved ones live in New York and somehow the real emotional impact had yet to hit me. Then a few minutes ago, a little past midnight my time, my phone rang.
"Hello"
The woman on the line sounded distressed and exhausted, "[Blank]is that you?".
She called me by my first name. "Uh, yes. Who is this?"
"Is this [then she used my full name]?"
"Yes thats me"
"Are you the [blank] from New York?" she asked.
"No, I'm sorry, I'm not from New York" I answered.
"Oh", she sounded crushed, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry if I woke you".
"Its no problem.... I hope you find him."
She took a deep breath, and her voice cracked as she tried to say "Thank You". And then she hung up.
And I thought I was going to sleep tonight.
I met a friend this morning who was with her husband. He was very quiet and she told me that he works across from the WTC. He was there yesterday and he saw people jumping from the building. He hasn't left her side since he came home last night.
Sleep doesn't come easy.
Thousands of casualties (as feared) leave a lot of friends and loved ones behind . . .
I thought I was going to drive past the city Tuesday. Even after I heard and saw the catastrophe, it took me hours to realize that I wasn't going near there. And my daughter had thought to go to a show in the city; fortunately she didn't take the early train and thus didn't get stuck in Manhattan with the bridges closed off behind her.
Thanks, I think.
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