I remember where I was 18 years ago today. I was working in a central secretarial area for a some executive suites. I answered phones, typed, and did other office type jobs for the businesses that rented space there. On the morning of 9/11 one of the clients who rented an office in the building came in the front door and said, “A plane just ran into one of the twin towers. I heard it on the radio”. I honestly thought it was someone with a single engine plane who miscalculated.
“That’s terrible!” I said, “Are they ok”? The woman who delivered the news looked at me and realized I did not understand the magnitude of the situation. “It was a jet,” she said.
I was stunned. There was a second girl who worked the desk with me and as more and more people came in with updates I turned to her and said, “I have a portable black and white TV at home. Do you want me to go get it?” “Yes.” she said.
About twenty minutes later we were watching it all on an 11” black and white tv.
Another of the suite renters came in as we talked about the people jumping from the tower. “That’s impossible,” he announced. “I was just there and there is absolutely no way anyone could jump from those towers. Impossible, absolutely impossible!! The media is just pumping this up.” The rest of us in the office were all silent as he explained to us why he had knowledge of this.
The towers went down. The pentagon was hit. People were… gone.
Silence.
Where were you on this day 18 years ago?