Where were you when you heard?

[Brokeneagle 0]

In the public records room at the Gwinnett County Courthouse. A person walked in from the street and told us about the first hit. Rumors started circulating about whether the plane'd had a takeoff problem. Another deed dog who is a pilot and I joked about suicidal ex-postal-service pilots (he knew one, and suspected him of being that particular pilot) The clerks let us bring out a radio so we could hear the news and help us stay calm. Then the 2nd hit happened, and then the report about the Pentagon strike as well. People started saying we were under attack- no one could get thru to family/friends...... those of us who could, tried to finish our work, most left. I finished my work and drove home the long back roads way, the expressway was a gridlock due to the volume of people, all dazed with horror and disbelief. I stopped at my older daughter's home, and sat in her driveway and wrote a loving letter to her, my son-in-law, and my grandchildren, in case I would not get the chance to see them again. I have cried so much these long days since the attack, I would think I could never cry again. But each time I am exposed to the videos of people leaping from the towers, or see the faces of those still looking for survivors, the unthinkable storeys-tall pile of rubble that blankets New York's Manhattan streets, and the haunted faces that surround me even here, the tears flow like a rain that will never cease. I am super-saturated with exposure to the grim horrors of reality, but cannot close my eyes to it at all. I have nightmares, but they are feeble; we are all caught up in this one.
Brokeneagle.
I'm really very gentle, no matter what my kung-fu teacher says...

[PalmettoTiger 1]

I was coming back from breakfast; I had just explained the intricacies of picking courses and buying books early to a few frosh. I was going to go brush my teeth when the guy 2 doors down heard me open my door and he said, "Turn on your TV" in an odd voice, as if his mind was moving faster than his mouth ever could, and as if his whole agitated body was trying to urge me to look at the news. I replied, "I don't have one," slightly irritated, because he's usually excited about some pointless thing that just turns out to be a waste of time. He said, "Come look at this" in a somber, deadpan tone, and I went into his room and saw both towers smoldering. I couldn't understand it for several seconds. It just didn't make any sense. Then my mind went into overdrive - Couldn't be an accident, NYC is controlled airspace and it's a clear day. Terrorists? Son of a BITCH. Someone is going to pay. Someone has no idea of what he's started, and he is about to experience the awesome and terrible true wrath of the United States.
Then I started thinking about the victims, and I remembered that my dad was supposed to fly home from CA ... or was he coming from Ohio? I was terrified that something had happened to him, and angry at myself for not even knowing where he was. I also realized that lots of people here at Princeton probably worked there this summer, or had parents who were working there now, or knew recent alumni working there. I could immediately think of three recently graduated friends who had interviewed for Wall Street jobs, and I soon learned of a friend whose father worked on the 81st floor of the first tower hit - right in the impact zone.
After I made the first post here, I went back to the TV. For the rest of the day I couldn't do anything but watch the news. I had to turn in course registrations, I had to buy books, do my laundry, finish setting up my room, and several other little errands. And although I knew they would keep showing me those horrible images again, and wouldn't tell me anything new or useful for a few more hours at least, I couldn't tear myself away. I did manage to finally contact my mother, who informed me that my dad had called her and was going to drive home immediately. I cried when I heard that he was okay, because that was the first time I allowed myself to think about "what if." I also learned that my friend's father was okay. He just wasn't in the office that day; no particular reason. She had gone home to be with her family, because she expected at any moment to hear that her father was dead.
It's been tough to get any sort of normal work done since then, although I can manage to put it out of my mind for two or three hours at a stretch now. I don't think anything will be "normal" for a long time, though.
Take care and God bless.
TIGER

[wceviper 0]

Where Was I? Well, Being that I live in California, I usually sleep till about 8-9am PST(11-12 EST). That morning my Aunt called me at 6:30 and said 2 things.
1. Happy Birthday
2. Then, You should turn on the TV, something terrible has happened.
Well, I turned on the TV, and then watched it all day. Couldn't believe it, I kept thinking I'll wake up soon. Of course that didn't happen. Anyway, I decided not to go out and party, and just stay home and get more info on what happened.
The thing that pisses me off the most is the Media. They kept saying it was a "Highly Sophisticated" crime and that the terrorists are "Very Intelligent". Which in my opinion is COMPLETE Bullshit! It just sucks that something like this had to happen.
I used to tell all my friends (The ones who forget my b-day) to just remember 911, that’s it! I don't think it will be easy to say that anymore.
-Jason

[Jumperpaula 0]

I got in my car to go to the airport for a daytrip to San Antonio. I heard about the first crash right away. I thought "great, all I need is to hear about a plane crash on my way to the airport", then as I reached the airport exit, the second plane hit. I immediately thought, "this ain't no accident". But I parked my car and went through security. Everyone in the airport was huddled around every TV. I got my boarding pass and they called for the first boarding group. Half way through boarding the flight, they made an announcement that FAA had grounded all flights. Everyone just stood in line, no one moved-as if it were a short delay. But within 5 minutes, everyone was in a slight panic, lines to the payphones were 10 people long, ticket counters were swarmed. It was an amazing sight to see every gate at every terminal filled with aircraft. I'll never forget it.
Paula
Fly Your Slot !

[RedBull 0]

I had just arrived for work on the north side of the Pentagon. I was listening to NPR news when I heard that first one, then two planes had collided w/ the WTR towers. Then, I heard a the sound of a jet engine, and the building shuddered. I assumed that a military aircraft had buzzed the building, until a co-worker pointed out the cloud of black smoke billowing from the building's west side (our windows face inward from the outer ring). After having heard about the events in NY, we knew that we, too, were under attack.
I grabbed my keys and sunglasses and high-tailed it out of there.
"Don't be afraid of death so much as an inadequate life." -- Bertolt Brecht

[freaksister 0]

My God, RedBull...how close! I am glad you are OK . WOW.
Sis
I lust for the ultimate rush...