September 11th memories

Darkness · Mar 12, 2002

It's been half a year since that dark day, the 11th of Semptember 2001...

A reporter on tv today remarked that "we all surely remember what we did on that day." That is, he meant that the terrible magnitude of the events of that day has burned the entire day into our memories - all the little things of one's life that one might not remember had they occured on any other day.

(Note: I want to commemorate that dark day and its victims - not start a political discussion, much less talk about the current state of the "War on Terror." So please don't. Thanks.

)

My immediate reason for posting all this in this particular fashion is that an e-mail I replied to today reminded me of my experiences on September 11th because it caused me to muse about my love for talking to foreign nationals who have - for some reason or another - come to the city I live in (Vienna).

Here, then, are my memories of that day. Heh. And the reporter was right in my case; I remember it all quite clearly...

Early in the day, I went to one of my favorite RPG stores, looking for the Manual of the Planes. While browsing that book, I noticed that another customer was asking a clerk - in English - about D&D 3e. The clerk - who doesn't play D&D - could give him only insufficient information. I could, though, and did so.

After talking with me, he bought a PHB but since the store had no DMG or MM in stock, I offered to take him to another store (a walk of 10 minutes). On the way to the other store, we talked and it turned out that the guy was an Israeli now living in Ireland who had studied in Vienna some years earlier and was visiting the city again on his way - through Europe - back to Ireland (his next destination was some city in Germany, IIRC). In order not the bore you with the details, he got a DMG (but no MM) in the other store and I also bought the MoP there (since it was cheaper than in the first store). Thereafter, we parted ways and I promised to send him links to important D&D-related sites (e.g., WotC home page, EN World) - which I did when I got home.
In the afternoon, at around 17 PM (my time), he wrote me back (he was already in Germany by then, I think), remarked that he was watching the news on tv and expressed his feelings of shock about what was happening. I was watching tv as well and was, too, shocked to the core. Still later, I went to these boards (the old ones, that is

) and participated in the first of the big "terrorist attack" threads, reading and providing a few links so people who were still at work could also get information about the events...

*sigh*

These are my memories... If you want to, please share yours as well.

- Darkness

edit - Now it's been a full year. And I'd still like to hear your memories.

Barendd Nobeard · Mar 12, 2002

I'm pulling into the parking lot at work.

The radio mentions the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

After a sentence or two, the local host (this is an NPR affiliate) comes on, obviously a little disoriented, and says the NPR equivalent of "and now back to our regularly scheduled program."

I'm sitting there, going 'WTF?!!??!' in my head, but I walk into work.

I immediately get on the internet, but all the news sites are clogged. So I, too, mosey on over to the EN boards for all the news.

Then, I pulled someone out of a meeting and told him. He went back in and told the others.... then they continued the meeting.

The entire day was spent scouring the internet for news, emailing friends & family in NYC and Northern Virginia, and watching the news on a little tv someone had.

My best friend (in NYC) was fine; he was currently job-hunting but was in another part of town.

My mother (in DC), could see the smoke from the Pentagon from the roof of the building she worked in. She usually takes the subway home, but I think they closed it that day. Someone gave her a ride home, but it took hours.

My brother-in-law had just started a new job not too far from the Pentagon. I later found out he felt the ground shake from the crash; everyone wondered what it was but soon found out.

I watched the first tower fall, but couldn't bring myself to watch the second one. (And I'm usually a cynical, heartless bastard.)

I left early (3 p.m.) to pick up the children and go home a little early. There were a lot more parents at school picking up their children than usual.

This will be there "where were you when you heard Kennedy was shot?" for people alive in 2001.

EricNoah · Mar 12, 2002

I was in the library at my school and there's a TV nearby. One of my fellow teachers comes in and says we should turn on the TV. I watch the second plane hit and I turn to my assistant and say, "We just saw the start of World War III." That day is spent trying to keep our students informed without scaring them. I have never been more proud of my teaching friends and our kids.

Skarp Hedin · Mar 12, 2002

I was at work. We listened to events on the radio for a bit, but that wasn't very satisfying and since everyone was upset and clearly wasn't going to do any actual -work- (can't blame us), the boss closed down the office and we left. Some of us went to his house and watched the news there for a while, then I went home and watched more news. We had two employees who were near the crashes -- one guy was getting out of his car in the parking lot of the MCI building near the Pentagon and just sort of watched the plane crash, and another guy was at work on a project location in one of the WTC buildings (not the twin towers, but one of the smaller ones.. I think it was the first smaller building that collapsed). He evacuated without any trouble, thankfully.

Simon Magalis · Mar 12, 2002

I too was in school. First block was just over and a teacher in the hall told me what had happened. I went back in my room and turned on the TV. I watched both towers fall during second block in a room full of 14 year olds who are too used to seeing such things in movies to really understand what was happening ( I think they do now, to some extent). I remember, after the second tower went down, sitting behind my desk in utter shock and a student looking to me and asking "Its gone isn't it?". I nodded slowly. Of course he referred to the building, but sadly his words ring more true than he knows in so many other ways.

Old One · Mar 12, 2002

Memories...

The wife and I were headed out the door to catch a plane to London, England for a long-planned trip. I had arranged to meet up with Plane Sailing, Monte Carlo and a couple of other old EN Worlders at a London Pub for a pint or two.

Needless to say, we didn't make the trip. We spent most of the morning staring at the TV in disbelief, then met some friends at a local pub around 2 PM EST. There were about 10 people there when we arrived, but by 3:30 PM, the place was packed. I guess people didn't want to be alone.

I tried to get ahold of some West Point classmates that were working in the Pentagon and got word late in the day that they were all fine. I also had a good friend from an old gaming group that did computer work in the WTC and another that worked at a hospital in Lower Manhatten.

The computer worker didn't go to the WTC that day, working instead from his NJ office in Hoboken...right across the river. He watched the entire thing from his office window. He told me latter that if he had followed his normal schedule, he would have been passing through the PATH station when the first train hit.

My doctor friend treated about 20 burn victims that came in the first wave of refugees. He and his OR staff stood by for 12 hours, waiting to receive other mass casualties that never came...they wounded either came early or didn't come at all.

Never forget!

~ Old One

Ulrick · Mar 12, 2002

The first thing I saw that day was the black cloud of where the WTC was supposed to be at.

My roommate (I live in a dorm room) had come into the room and turned on the TV while I slept. He started yelling "Oh my God! The World Trade Center is gone!"

I woke up and looked at the TV. Although I couldn't see very well without my contacts, I saw the New York skyline...minus one WTC.

The first person I thought of was my Ex-girlfriend, I wondered if she was okay. I knew that she sometimes goes to NYC. I eventually found out she was.

I admit, I was scared, terrified. But I when I found out terrorist were involved I knew that's exactly what they wanted. So I shoved those feeling down. And continued with my day as normally as possible (going to class, etc). I comforted people people that needed conforting. I cried when nobody was around.
I had to be some kind of strength for people to look up to. Set an example.

And I used that energy I pent up to change my life forever. I released it in the things I do to better my life and those around me.

The images I saw that day I will remember for the rest of my life. But I will not let them haunt me. I will let them be a reminder that life is fragile, and be grateful the things I have. And yet despite the fact horrible things happened that day, there were
many acts of heroism.

There are heroes within us all.

Ulrick

Napftor · Mar 12, 2002

I was letting out some dogs for a friend and on the way home heard in the radio that a plane had crashed into one of the trade center towers. I, like everyone at that time, thought the accident was just that--an accident. I arrived home not long after nine and turned on the TV. I was flipping through the various networks and I think I was watching CNN when the second plane was shot, live, hitting the second tower.

News was also spilling in about the Pentagon (I think it was around that time). And I remember it was not long after that the plane crashed in western PA. The triangle that these three crashes make centers me inside geographically (eastern PA). Whenever I heard something odd I looked cautiously out the window.

My next source of news was on Eric Noah's board, where I relayed little bits of news to the fast-expanding thread on the attacks. I regrettably had to leave for work before noon.

The world never seemed so small.

Triple H · Mar 12, 2002

Truth be told I remember these message boards. I was at my computer lab in college trying to keep up with the flow of info that was going on and posting it here. Not to mention everyone else who was doing the same thing. hate to say it but this meesage board was educated when Sept 111 happened. We were up to date,helpful and I am proud to be a part of it. We also consoled each other. I know posting the news and someone posting a thankyou warmed my heart. I cant even express what that made me feel. I thank everyone who was there that day. Ont he boards. Putting up info,consoling others. It was great.

Another thing I think of when I think of Sept 11 is heroes. Firman,paramedics,police,and...normal people. Helping,consoling,going into danger for their fellow amn. Sometimes this world can make you very cynical but when I saw one man. Who had just come out of the area that was devastated and then go back into the devastation to get another person. Someone he did not know...it speaks volumes of the human spirit,of human sacrifice,of human heroism. THAT is true heroism. I must say that on that day I started out disgusted to be human but ended proud,changed and jsut feelings of pure hope.

Well now I am rambling so I leave you to your thread. Once again thank you for the memories.

Talvisota · Mar 12, 2002

Well. This will be rather different.

As I am 11 hours ahead of NY time, it was evening, and my wife of three months and I had just recently moved into our new place and cable nor phone was not yet installed.

At about, oh, I guess 730 pm, our friend, a Canadian, ran over and told us what was going on. Of course, you don't noramlly believe someone when they mention topics like these. ANyway, we ran across the courtyard to her place to check out CNN as she was getting frazzled watching it alone.

We arrived 5 minutes before the second tower fell. Immediately, my cell phone started ringing - I have several US employees, and we had to figure out what to do. Of course, I knew that all would be fine and I said to hold tight for now. A few minutes later the Cultural Affairs Officer of the Embassy called me and we decided it indeed was best to do so.

The next morning I went to the embassy annex to usher all employees home; we were going to be closed for the rest of the week. Officials from the Ministry of Education (the Ministry with whom I deal with in development issues) came to pay their respects, and it was after speaking with them and our local employees that I learned that the Russian news was spouting typical incorrect garbage. They were reporting that 4 had crashed into places, but 10 were still missing!!! (You think that is bad, you should have heard them during the 1999 Kosovo/Serbia shindig.)

The next few weeks were rough, with Kyrgyzstan going on voluntary evac and I think Turkmenistan did, too. Lots of back and forth with DC which was the worst. We were FINE here, as Kazakhstan is quite stable. However, all of YOU were completely freaking out, and it seems, still are!

board-brotherhood to you all,