Posted on 09/18/2001 7:03:27 AM PDT by HateBill
As many Freepers know, I work on Wall Street, about 6 blocks from the World Trade Center. I work at a HelpDesk at a law firm and start at 2 pm (I was home during WTC attack). Yesterday was our first day back at work.
Because I had seen so much coverage of the Stock Exchange opening (2 blocks from my office), I was prepared to be asked for ID so I brought my passport and my firm directory (with a post-it on the page I was listed) as my firm had never supplied us with firm ID's (when I got to the office, this was a project we were working on, but there were no camera stores open). I DID NOT CONSIDER THIS A TERRIBLE INVASION OF MY CIVIL LIBERTIES.
I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge (my commute is probably the loveliest ever) which was open for the first time. There were not as many people as usual and no tourists, who usually make up the bulk of footbridge traffic at 1 pm(which came as no surprise). I crossed paths with about a dozen people who had t-shirts that said "Kentucky Disaster Relief" and I thanked them for aiding our city.
The air quality was not bad. This changed as soon as I got off the Brooklyn Bridge. There was a burning smell. There was a strong police presence, although not overwhelming. I purchased an American flag design tie near the South Street Seaport (Steve Doocy wore the same tie today on "Fox and Friends") and didn't know how to tie it (I'm a chick!) so I just knotted it around my neck.
All of my co-workers were accounted for, although my Manager told me that several probably not going to ever return to work at the firm. There was a lovely e-mail from our top partner, saying that everyone in our "family" was safe and describing the efforts by 4 people to contact *everyone* to make sure that they had arrived safely. I (for the day) forgave him for being a big Dem. who had photos of himself with Al Gore, Bill Clinton, assorted Cuomos etc. in his office.
There is a woman in my firm with whom I have been on terrible terms. (She once told a partner that I didn't know what I was doing.) When I ran into her, I said, "in light of last week, can we let bygones be bygones." She said no.
Everyone who came by computer services had a story to tell. One had been in Century 21 (a store a block away from the WTC) when the plane hit and said that her credit card had been charged for her purchase. Someone else said that was probably the last thing ever bought in Century 21 and then the purchaser said that the guard at the door was waving everyone through and had turned the anti-theft buzzer off. I said she could have saved a police officer's life if she had shoplifted and they called the police. (Gallows humor)
A vendor called to ask to speak to the head of MIS. I said, "Do you realize you are calling New York." She said, "yes." I said, "I can't believe you think I am going to bother my Manager with this" and hung up (my manager was very grateful).
The air in my office was awful and I was afraid I would have another asthma attack, but a supply of menthol coughdrops seemed to help. I got water from our cooler and it tasted strange, so when a co-worker got water I said that mine tasted poisoned. She thought it was fine. I would live another day.
The manager said there would be no night staff (we are sent home in cars and cars would not be allowed below Canal Street, approximately a mile from my office) so I left at 5:30. A co-worker who lives far out in Brooklyn walked on the Brooklyn Bridge with me so she could get a bus home as she refused to ever get on a subway again unless there was 20 feet of snow.
We didn't get much done in terms of work -- a task that would have otherwise taken me an hour took 3 -- but there was much talking and most people related their trip home from the office that dreadful day one week ago.
Thanks for sharing this with us, HateBill.
The sight of armed forces on Wall Street almost seems like they are shooting a movie. Glad they are here, but unsettling when you think of why they are here.
Very cute!
This brought a smile to my face, despite the misery reflected by the events you're responding to. Good to see folks moving forward in NYC.
Condolences
I work for a law firm and I can't say *anyone* spoke of their investments. There was the usual bemoaning the effect the decline on the Dow had on our 401-ks, but this goes on all the time. This is not the kind of firm where anyone would brag about selling stocks short because of the terrorist attack. But then again, no one spoke of buying stock either. The attitude pretty much was a resigned "I can never afford to retire."
I purposely walked to work as far east as possible (Water Street) once I saw that J&R (a huge multi-store presence across from City Hall which sells appliances, tvs, stereos, all kinds of music, computers) was closed and I could not purchase the Lee Greenwood CDs that I had hoped to buy. There were very few places open to buy food -- supplies are not available and some firms bought out entire quantities to feed their employees (my firm did not). I was lucky to find a "Yips" open on Water Street so I could buy a soda.
I have seen the rubble on tv -- I have no desire to see it in person (especially considering that I had a lot of non-waterproof mascara on).
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