Comments on: Where Were You? http://blog.largetony.com/2006/09/11/where-were-you/ The Ramblings and 'Ritings of a Big-Dicked Country Boy Wed, 03 Dec 2008 20:21:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: DonPato http://blog.largetony.com/2006/09/11/where-were-you/#comment-5372 DonPato Thu, 14 Sep 2006 07:06:11 +0000 http://blog.largetony.com/2006/09/11/where-were-you/#comment-5372 I was on my way from Fire Island to the airport. When I saw the smoke I got back on the ferry and went back to Fire Island. It was very quiet that week and kind of lonesome. Two days later I called my manager in San Francisco. He informed me that eight weeks worth of work had disappeared in the smoke and fire of the towers. When I returned to San Francisco I found out that his estimate was wildly conservative, it was more like four years worth of work. Jerry my boss took a dive of the Golden Gate Bridge 3 years ago. I have moved the company to San Jose. DonPato San Jose I was on my way from Fire Island to the airport. When I saw the smoke I got back on the ferry and went back to Fire Island. It was very quiet that week and kind of lonesome. Two days later I called my manager in San Francisco. He informed me that eight weeks worth of work had disappeared in the smoke and fire of the towers. When I returned to San Francisco I found out that his estimate was wildly conservative, it was more like four years worth of work.

Jerry my boss took a dive of the Golden Gate Bridge 3 years ago. I have moved the company to San Jose.

DonPato
San Jose

]]> By: Jay http://blog.largetony.com/2006/09/11/where-were-you/#comment-5344 Jay Wed, 13 Sep 2006 03:39:40 +0000 http://blog.largetony.com/2006/09/11/where-were-you/#comment-5344 I liked this post. I often wondered how the rest of the country was affected by it. Thank you. It was a bright, sunny, cloudless day Tuesday September 11, 2001. I had just had the day from hell on the Monday before (lots of issues) and went into work on Tuesday in Washington, DC, determined that it would be a better day. At 8:30 a.m., so far, so good. However once the first plane hit and they showed a a repeat of it on my boss's small black and white screen, I immediately knew we were under attack from SOMEONE because planes don't fly over Lower Manhattan. Not even by accident. It's a notorious no-fly zone. After the second plane hit right before our very eyes on the screen, we KNEW we were under attack. After discussing that, a new plane hit the Pentagon. Well, that was it for us. We were released to go home after that and the traffic getting home was so bad. The look of terror and "what's going on here now?" on everybody's faces was a lot to take. I didn't know what to make of it as I rode down 295 South and saw the Pentagon for the first time ever - I never noticed it there before. All that smoke and those helicopters and fire engines rushing to the scene. All those people dead. And then to get to my cousin's house and see footage of the towers COLLAPSING with people inside! I couldn't reach my friends in NYC because the North Tower held a major cellular signal. People were worried sick about me, but I confirmed that I didn't work in Arlington, where the Pentagon is located. I was worried sick about friends in NYC (most from college, having recently graduated the previous May) and they confirmed they were all right. One didn't work down there, the other didn't go home the night before because of some outstanding circumstances that left her stranded in New Jersey - thank God - she would have been on the train when one tower got hit. Another friend didn't go to work that day in the WTC when she had a training to attend - she just didn't feel like getting up. Thank God! But my heart goes out to the victims of this tragedy. I listen faithfully to NPR, too, and the only problem I have with their remembrance week this week is the coverage of Islam as a culture. It's a religion, not a culture. The people had a culture before the religion got there and even though some things can be said about what the religion is supposed to teach, it doesn't make it any easier to stomach or understand what was done in the name of said religion and their god. I mention this because a reporter for NPR said the same thing yesterday and you could feel his raw pain in delivering his story. That being said, thank you again for posting this. I'll never forget where I was that day or what I did that day. How I couldn't get back home that day and stayed with cousins in the area. How I cried so profusely before going to bed that day. How I was terrified to ride the subway to work and the train home that day. How I called out of work one day because I just felt that I couldn't go. How I woke up having a nightmare that it was all over. How I felt like burying myself underground until time stopped. I liked this post. I often wondered how the rest of the country was affected by it. Thank you.

It was a bright, sunny, cloudless day Tuesday September 11, 2001. I had just had the day from hell on the Monday before (lots of issues) and went into work on Tuesday in Washington, DC, determined that it would be a better day. At 8:30 a.m., so far, so good. However once the first plane hit and they showed a a repeat of it on my boss’s small black and white screen, I immediately knew we were under attack from SOMEONE because planes don’t fly over Lower Manhattan. Not even by accident. It’s a notorious no-fly zone.

After the second plane hit right before our very eyes on the screen, we KNEW we were under attack. After discussing that, a new plane hit the Pentagon. Well, that was it for us. We were released to go home after that and the traffic getting home was so bad. The look of terror and “what’s going on here now?” on everybody’s faces was a lot to take. I didn’t know what to make of it as I rode down 295 South and saw the Pentagon for the first time ever - I never noticed it there before. All that smoke and those helicopters and fire engines rushing to the scene. All those people dead.

And then to get to my cousin’s house and see footage of the towers COLLAPSING with people inside! I couldn’t reach my friends in NYC because the North Tower held a major cellular signal. People were worried sick about me, but I confirmed that I didn’t work in Arlington, where the Pentagon is located. I was worried sick about friends in NYC (most from college, having recently graduated the previous May) and they confirmed they were all right. One didn’t work down there, the other didn’t go home the night before because of some outstanding circumstances that left her stranded in New Jersey - thank God - she would have been on the train when one tower got hit. Another friend didn’t go to work that day in the WTC when she had a training to attend - she just didn’t feel like getting up. Thank God!

But my heart goes out to the victims of this tragedy. I listen faithfully to NPR, too, and the only problem I have with their remembrance week this week is the coverage of Islam as a culture. It’s a religion, not a culture. The people had a culture before the religion got there and even though some things can be said about what the religion is supposed to teach, it doesn’t make it any easier to stomach or understand what was done in the name of said religion and their god. I mention this because a reporter for NPR said the same thing yesterday and you could feel his raw pain in delivering his story.

That being said, thank you again for posting this. I’ll never forget where I was that day or what I did that day. How I couldn’t get back home that day and stayed with cousins in the area. How I cried so profusely before going to bed that day. How I was terrified to ride the subway to work and the train home that day. How I called out of work one day because I just felt that I couldn’t go. How I woke up having a nightmare that it was all over.

How I felt like burying myself underground until time stopped.

]]> By: Gregg http://blog.largetony.com/2006/09/11/where-were-you/#comment-5334 Gregg Tue, 12 Sep 2006 11:48:41 +0000 http://blog.largetony.com/2006/09/11/where-were-you/#comment-5334 Tony, a beautifully poignant post. The comments are as well. I was in the middle of the ocean in Alaska when my cabin phone wrang (this is highly unusual). I answered to a crew member saying "you have a satellite call". I authorized the call and it was to check on my whereabouts and safety (my brother is a senator). I answered with "I'm fine! I'm in the middle of the ocean in Alaska and it's 4:00 in the morning, what the **** do you want?". The voice came back with "Sir, turn on the television.". I shall never forget! Tony, a beautifully poignant post. The comments are as well. I was in the middle of the ocean in Alaska when my cabin phone wrang (this is highly unusual). I answered to a crew member saying “you have a satellite call”. I authorized the call and it was to check on my whereabouts and safety (my brother is a senator). I answered with “I’m fine! I’m in the middle of the ocean in Alaska and it’s 4:00 in the morning, what the **** do you want?”. The voice came back with “Sir, turn on the television.”. I shall never forget!

]]> By: BewilderedofLondon http://blog.largetony.com/2006/09/11/where-were-you/#comment-5332 BewilderedofLondon Tue, 12 Sep 2006 10:51:55 +0000 http://blog.largetony.com/2006/09/11/where-were-you/#comment-5332 It was a sunny day in London too. I'd just walked back into the office toward the end of lunchtime with a liver-sausage and coleslaw sandwich (the sandwich motif is a coincidence but an accurate one, I remember all the details of that day) and my colleague stopped me in reception and , without any expression, said "come and look at this," and bodily shoved me into her office, she's a small woman and this was unusual behaviour, so I went, as you do. I looked at the screen showing the smoking tower and asked "what's this?" We work in the film industry so we're used to seeing rushes and preview tapes for movies in production and I thought this was one, I clearly remember thinking it was in questionable taste. "No. It's live" she said, and it was, no reall consistent commentary (I suspect the newsrooms were as dumbstruck as we were,) just a live feed from New York. "What's happening at Newark?" I said, thinking air-traffic control had screwed up majorly but not understanding how that could even remotely happen but a plane had hit the Empire State in the 40s or something so not impossible, the mind running on as it does, trying to make sense of what's happening, some logical explanation... Then, moments later, the second plane came into shot and passed straight into the second tower and we began, slowly, to understand what that probably meant. We tried to call friends, I don't know what we thought we could do, but all the lines to the States were down for the rest of that day. The French newspaper Le Monde said it best (this was long before all that "Freedom Fries" bash the French nonsense,) in its headline the following day; "Today, We Are All Americans." Despite everything that's happened since, I still agree with that sentiment unconditionally. It was a sunny day in London too.
I’d just walked back into the office toward the end of lunchtime with a liver-sausage and coleslaw sandwich (the sandwich motif is a coincidence but an accurate one, I remember all the details of that day) and my colleague stopped me in reception and , without any expression, said “come and look at this,” and bodily shoved me into her office, she’s a small woman and this was unusual behaviour, so I went, as you do.
I looked at the screen showing the smoking tower and asked “what’s this?” We work in the film industry so we’re used to seeing rushes and preview tapes for movies in production and I thought this was one, I clearly remember thinking it was in questionable taste.
“No. It’s live” she said, and it was, no reall consistent commentary (I suspect the newsrooms were as dumbstruck as we were,) just a live feed from New York.
“What’s happening at Newark?” I said, thinking air-traffic control had screwed up majorly but not understanding how that could even remotely happen but a plane had hit the Empire State in the 40s or something so not impossible, the mind running on as it does, trying to make sense of what’s happening, some logical explanation…
Then, moments later, the second plane came into shot and passed straight into the second tower and we began, slowly, to understand what that probably meant. We tried to call friends, I don’t know what we thought we could do, but all the lines to the States were down for the rest of that day.
The French newspaper Le Monde said it best (this was long before all that “Freedom Fries” bash the French nonsense,) in its headline the following day;
“Today, We Are All Americans.”
Despite everything that’s happened since, I still agree with that sentiment unconditionally.

]]> By: HB Jock http://blog.largetony.com/2006/09/11/where-were-you/#comment-5328 HB Jock Tue, 12 Sep 2006 06:39:06 +0000 http://blog.largetony.com/2006/09/11/where-were-you/#comment-5328 I remember that day very well... My best friend woke me up at 3:00am to turn on CNN to witness the horror... I couldn't believe it. I was just there the year before walking those grounds. The irony was uncanny.. I remember that day very well… My best friend woke me up at 3:00am to turn on CNN to witness the horror… I couldn’t believe it. I was just there the year before walking those grounds. The irony was uncanny..

]]> By: brian http://blog.largetony.com/2006/09/11/where-were-you/#comment-5322 brian Tue, 12 Sep 2006 01:06:05 +0000 http://blog.largetony.com/2006/09/11/where-were-you/#comment-5322 It must have been a beautiful day everywhere. It was here also.I only wish we could have better harnessed the goodwill and collective resolve we all felt. It must have been a beautiful day everywhere. It was here also.I only wish we could have better harnessed the goodwill and collective resolve we all felt.

]]> By: Kevin http://blog.largetony.com/2006/09/11/where-were-you/#comment-5320 Kevin Mon, 11 Sep 2006 22:31:18 +0000 http://blog.largetony.com/2006/09/11/where-were-you/#comment-5320 I've posted a short description of where I was (and why) on my own blog at <a href="http://blog.cowboyinbrla.com/?p=69" rel="nofollow"> Occasional Jots & Tittles</a>. Obviously, by the end of the day, and for the rest of the week, I was in your neck of the woods. Thanks for inspiring me to put it down in writing. I’ve posted a short description of where I was (and why) on my own blog at Occasional Jots & Tittles. Obviously, by the end of the day, and for the rest of the week, I was in your neck of the woods. Thanks for inspiring me to put it down in writing.

]]> By: Curtis http://blog.largetony.com/2006/09/11/where-were-you/#comment-5318 Curtis Mon, 11 Sep 2006 21:54:15 +0000 http://blog.largetony.com/2006/09/11/where-were-you/#comment-5318 I watched the television with awe as the second plane hit. I knew then that this was no accident. I knew then that I would loose a friend who worked in the WTC complex. I think it was the south tower. I knew that our country would never be the same. I knew that I would never be the same. I knew when I saw the look on our PResident's face as he exited his plane that things would not be right for a very long time. I had no idea that we would allow so much erosion of our civil liberties and our rights because of those dreadful events. I mourn so much loss and I’m angry because of it. I hope for a better future. I watched the television with awe as the second plane hit. I knew then that this was no accident. I knew then that I would loose a friend who worked in the WTC complex. I think it was the south tower. I knew that our country would never be the same. I knew that I would never be the same. I knew when I saw the look on our PResident’s face as he exited his plane that things would not be right for a very long time.

I had no idea that we would allow so much erosion of our civil liberties and our rights because of those dreadful events.

I mourn so much loss and I’m angry because of it. I hope for a better future.

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