I don't think I've ever posted my story. I was in college at Bloomsburg (in PA), so I've never really felt the need. PA isn't NY and certainly isn't NYC.
I had late classes that day. I woke up after both towers had been hit. I turned on the TV probably a little after 9. I'm sure it was on ESPN. I still watched SportsCenter back then. I'd bet I watched it as I fell asleep the night before. They had the same feed every body else did, but I felt compelled to turn it to one of the bigger networks. I watched the towers fall still in my bed.
I remember going to class and hearing idiots wondering if Bloomsburg was next. As if somebody would target the Pentagon, the WTC, and tiny Bloom. Eventually all classes were cancelled for the day...then for the week. I remember wondering if colleges nowhere near NYC were cancelled.
My girlfriend's roommate was from Long Island. Surprisingly, she wasn't as insufferable as you'd expect a New Yorker to be. Once classes were cancelled, we stupidly thought it'd be a good idea to go with her back home. I'm glad we did.
The first stop the next day was her old high school. Before then, you could see the towers from her school. Obviously after, you couldn't. Everybody there was still in shock. Coming from nowheresville PA, this was surreal for me.
Either the next day or the day after we had the bright idea to take the train into NYC. I'll never forget the view as we came up from underground to see the city. It was still a mess. Such a bizarre scene to see from a subway car.
I don't remember where we went once we were in the city except for one place...30 Rock. Once we got back to her house, we heard that was the site of the first anthrax scare. That's when I decided it'd be a good idea to call my parents and let them know I was a few miles away but OK.
Being around the Long Islanders as an outsider was weird. Normally, I'd be annoyed at their insistence that they were true New Yorkers despite just being just Long Islanders. But in that moment, these people who normally could see the towers from their bathrooms had earned my solace. I was an outsider who was welcomed into this NY world without question. Something I don't think would've happened in that city without the tragedy taking place.
I can't believe it's only been 15 years. I read something today that the 2006 Texas-OSU game was (obviously) 10 years ago, and it just makes me feel old. I was at the 2005 game, so that was 11 years ago. That seems like forever ago now. But September 11th oddly doesn't feel like it was longer ago. It feels like we were just there on September 10th when things were normal.
I wish it were possible to explain to my son how things used to be. I don't think that will ever be possible. That's such a sobering thought. Fuck terrorists, man. Fuck evil. This world isn't fair like it was. Fuck.
I had late classes that day. I woke up after both towers had been hit. I turned on the TV probably a little after 9. I'm sure it was on ESPN. I still watched SportsCenter back then. I'd bet I watched it as I fell asleep the night before. They had the same feed every body else did, but I felt compelled to turn it to one of the bigger networks. I watched the towers fall still in my bed.
I remember going to class and hearing idiots wondering if Bloomsburg was next. As if somebody would target the Pentagon, the WTC, and tiny Bloom. Eventually all classes were cancelled for the day...then for the week. I remember wondering if colleges nowhere near NYC were cancelled.
My girlfriend's roommate was from Long Island. Surprisingly, she wasn't as insufferable as you'd expect a New Yorker to be. Once classes were cancelled, we stupidly thought it'd be a good idea to go with her back home. I'm glad we did.
The first stop the next day was her old high school. Before then, you could see the towers from her school. Obviously after, you couldn't. Everybody there was still in shock. Coming from nowheresville PA, this was surreal for me.
Either the next day or the day after we had the bright idea to take the train into NYC. I'll never forget the view as we came up from underground to see the city. It was still a mess. Such a bizarre scene to see from a subway car.
I don't remember where we went once we were in the city except for one place...30 Rock. Once we got back to her house, we heard that was the site of the first anthrax scare. That's when I decided it'd be a good idea to call my parents and let them know I was a few miles away but OK.
Being around the Long Islanders as an outsider was weird. Normally, I'd be annoyed at their insistence that they were true New Yorkers despite just being just Long Islanders. But in that moment, these people who normally could see the towers from their bathrooms had earned my solace. I was an outsider who was welcomed into this NY world without question. Something I don't think would've happened in that city without the tragedy taking place.
I can't believe it's only been 15 years. I read something today that the 2006 Texas-OSU game was (obviously) 10 years ago, and it just makes me feel old. I was at the 2005 game, so that was 11 years ago. That seems like forever ago now. But September 11th oddly doesn't feel like it was longer ago. It feels like we were just there on September 10th when things were normal.
I wish it were possible to explain to my son how things used to be. I don't think that will ever be possible. That's such a sobering thought. Fuck terrorists, man. Fuck evil. This world isn't fair like it was. Fuck.
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