September 11, 2001 started out just like any other day for me. I got up, late, as usual, and headed for what had to be the worst job that anyone could possibly have. Working in the telephone help center for a large bank in the state of Michigan. I hated the job with a passion, and did NOT want to get on the phone to help old people figure out what checks hadn't cashed yet. I arrived about 5 minutes late, and stalled for a few minutes before getting on the phone.
I signed onto the phone at about 9:10, and to my surprise, there weren't any calls holding. I couldn't figure out why, but I was relieved because of it.
I then went about my normal morning business. I went to
www.cnn.com, and to my surprise, I couldn't get onto the site. I then went to
www.msnbc.com, and to my surprise, I couldn't get onto that site either. I then went to
www.espn.com, and I couldn't get onto that either. I tried some of my other sites, like the
www.coffeebreakarcade.com, and some car message forums, and I got onto those just fine. The only thing I was having difficulty accessing was my morning news.
The phones had still been absolutely dead, so I decided to go to the cafeteria downstairs and get something for breakfast. I signed off the phone and took a trip that I will never forget.
I walked into the basement where the cafeteria was, and there were about a hundred peole down there...which is about 95 more than there normally was at that time of day. They were all huddled around the 19 inch TV in the dining area of the cafeteria. A lady was crying. A man was shouting. I didn't know either of them. I eased my way through the group, still not knowing what was going on. I got close enough to the TV to see it, and saw that both the North and South Tower of the World Trade Center had smoke billowing out of them. I then heard the reporter on the TV saying what had happened.
I couldn't believe it. It was like something that was surreal. That couldn't have been happening...not here, not to us in our own country, not to American Civilians...it had to be some kind of horrible joke, or a preview for a movie. As I watched, I realized that it wasn't any of that, and our country had in fact been attacked by the most cowardly method possible. Terrorists had used civilian jet liners filled with innocent people as missles, and had shot these missles right into the World Trade Center.
I sat down there and watched the news for several hours...completely neglecting what I was supposed to be doing for my job. I watched until both towers had fallen, and then I went back upstairs. I couldn't watch it anymore. It was too terrible. My boss asked me where I had been, and asked if I had heard that the WTC had been hit by airplanes. I told her yes I knew, and that both towers had just completely come falling down. She didn't believe me. I knew she was thinking the same thing I had been when I first saw the smoke coming out of hte building...she believed me, but she didn't want to...she then sent me home. I wanted to go. I wanted to watch the news. I wanted to see what we would do to retaliate against those that attacked us. I wanted revenge.
To this day, I will never forget exactly what I was doing and what happened on September 11, 2001. I hope nobody ever forgets.
To this day, I want revenge on those that did this. I cheer everytime I hear that our soldiers have taken another objective, and I cheer eveytime I see a greusome video on the internet of some damn Middle-Easterner taking some M-16 fire into his head.
To this day, I hate that area of the world and believe that everyone would be better off if it were just a large sheet of glass.
I remember...and I am sad. I remember...and I am mad. I remember...and I don't ever want to forget.