Where were you 9-11-2001

[VehiGAZ]

I was at work in CT, watching what I could on fuzzy antenna-signal TV, running back and forth to my computer to read the news updates, and wondering if my first cousin and best friend (and soon-to-be best man at my wedding 2.5 weeks later), who worked for Oppenhiemer Funds in Tower 2 was alive or not. As it happened, he left his cell phone on his desk on his way out of the building with a couple of preggo women from his office, not that having his phone would have done him any good anyway.

My wife's best friend worked for Amex at the time in the #7 building, but she fortunately called in sick that day (No conspiricists, she's not Jewish). We didn't know that either, though.

I left work and went home. A friend of ours who was freaked by the whole episode came over that evening and stayed the night with us just so he wouldn't be alone.

[nfpgasmask]

I was still living in Chicago at the time. I got to work late, as usual, around 8:20am. I took the elevator up to the 7th floor where I sat, got off the elevator and noticed that my floor was empty. There was no one around which was really weird. I started walking over to my desk, and then I saw a co-worker come out of the large conference room (there was a TV in there). My first thought was, "oh crap, I missed a meeting, I'm in trouble". So I walked over there and my coworker just looked at me and said, "WWIII just started". I was like, "wtf?". I walked the conference room and saw the first tower billowing smoke on the TV. About 2 seconds later, the fire alarms went off, and the entire building was evacuated. I worked in the Aon Center, which is the 2nd tallest building in Chicago, and I guess they weren't taking any chances since there were still several planes unaccounted for.

The streets of Chicago filled up with people fast as several other high-rise buildings were evaculated, and my wife and I tried calling some friends in NY with no luck. The rest of the day was spent at home, watching the news unfold.

Bart

[MSHardeman]

My story is much like everyone elses. I was going through my normal morning routine of eating breakfast with NPR on. It was just background noise, but something just didn't sound right, and when I really tuned in I heard "twin towers", "plane", "fire" and that got my attention. I ran over and turned the TV on to see the first tower billowing smoke. At that time everyone thought it was an accident, but as I sat there watching the talking head on TV give a live report from the roof of another building (with the towers in the background) the second plane hit and my jaw just about hit the floor.

As I kept watching more reports came in of other planes being hijacked. There where reports of planes going down on the Mall in Washington, D.C. (obviously false), one heading toward the White House, and phone calls from people on the plane that went down in Pennsylvania.

The reports of the plane that hit the Pentagon where overshadowed by the towers collapsing, but I later learned that a friend that I grew up with, who was in the Navy, was probably in the room that the plane hit as it plowed into the Pentagon. VERY sad as he had just gotten married. The story we all heard was that he was in his office (and probably would have been OK if he had stayed there), but moved to a conference room that had a TV where a few of his co-workers where watching what was happening to the Towers.

A lot of the stories of people calling in sick, getting stuck in traffic or on the subway, or just not going into work at the Towers for whatever reason are truely amazing.

It's an unbelievable tragedy, and everytime I see a documentary of that day I get angry and wonder why we haven't really done anything about finding the people who are responsible.

[alanbradley]

Early afternoon over here - I was in my dad's office and my co-worker and I were listening to the radio.

I was really glad my parents had flown from NYC to Buffalo the day before having spent 3 days there sightseeing before my cousin's wedding.

Had it been 24 hours earlier - well, I don't really want to think about it...

Some of you were mighty close.

Take care,

Alan

[Seidmanrob]

Sitting down to breakfast as I was due to fly (as pilot) to JFK that afternoon. Needlessly, I didn't go anywhere until Thursday. Two days later while flying the arrival to JFK from the west that takes you over lower Manhattan, I rolled the plane on its side to view the carnage below. I'll never forget that sight.

[rowhard]

I was at home, getting ready for work. The one thing that really sticks with me was a New Yorker being interviewed and when asked, what the towers meant to a New Yorker, he said "they were our mountain".

Every day I drive the Express bus from Olympia to Tacoma and back, you can see Mount Rainer here in Washington, I will sometimes mentioned that comment to my passengers,... well it still brings tears to me eyes and a emptiness in my heart for those that were killed and the loved ones and friends they left behind.

[Greasemonkey]

There i was dring a semi truck around Marble Arch London - a small car deceided to have a tangle with my front bumper - when we exchanged details he was an Iraqi lol - i spent 4 hours in the middle of Marble arch watching the GR9's flying over head waiting for the recovery guys to reposition my load so i could carry on
cheers
Steve