Today is my half birthday. Eight years ago I was turning fifteen and a half. I was a sophomore in high school. I baked cupcakes for the occasion, to bring to my Latin class. It was such a small class, we brought in treats for one another all the time.
But when I woke up in the morning, I didn't feel like going to school. So I said I was sick and I slept in. Then I got a phone call.
"Turn on the TV." It was my mom.
"What?"
"Turn on the TV!" She sounded frantic, but I couldn't figure out why she would call me and tell me to watch television.
I figured it out soon enough.
I worried about my family living in DC. I was confused about what was happening. It didn't seem real. New York City felt so far away. I'd never been there. I didn't know anyone there. Twin what? I knew about the Cities, but this was the first time I'd heard about the Towers. I was (and still am) pretty clueless about the places far away from me, and why people would want to destroy them.
I stayed on the phone with my mom for a half an hour before she hung up to call our relatives in DC. She couldn't get through. All the phone lines were busy, none of the calls were going through.
I decided I felt well enough to go to school, where I would be around other students and teachers who would tell us what was going on. As if they had any clearer idea than we did. My already-graduated boyfriend picked me up in his mom's car and dropped me off at the school. He hadn't seen the TV yet then.
As I walked to my class, I noticed an eerie silence had fallen over the school. None of the teachers were lecturing. None of the students were gossiping. Classroom after classroom of people's eyes glued to the TV. Many of the teachers standing almost under the TV, they were so close, so intent on what they were seeing. Some students visibly crying. Who would attack us?
Because our nation is so free from sin. What do we do but donate food to the children in Africa and build schools and churches for the people in Central America? We are so giving. We were all, in that school, so naive. At least I was.
I finally arrived at my classroom. People looked over to the sound of the door opening, but no one smiled. My teacher nodded at me, but didn't mark the attendance book. I realized I'd forgotten the cupcakes at home.
And that's how it was, for the rest of the day. We watched the TV. We watched the plane crash into the already smoking building again and again. We watched the first tower fall again and again, the second tower again and again and again and again for hours.
In 5th period, U.S. History, the television wasn't on. The students looked at one another, confused, as our teacher demanded our homework and began the lecture for the day. Something in the 1800's. I remember thinking it was incredibly ironic that the ONE class not watching television was U.S. History. I guess we'd been watching it happen over and over all day long, but I remember thinking it would be better to witness History than learn about something that happened 200 years ago. We can learn about 200 years ago tomorrow. Today is today.
I still sort of feel that way.
But in 6th period we were back to the TVs, so I guess it didn't matter that we'd missed an hour. I don't remember very much else about that day, other than coming home and finally learning that my relatives were all safe.
...
I've learned a lot since then. Mostly, I am not as proud of my country anymore.
Isn't it funny how people can remember almost every detail of that day? I live on Long Island about an hour away from the city and I lost my cousin on 9/11. I've talked to people, some who lost family members or friends and some who haven't, that can remember exactly what period they were in, who was sitting in front of them, what class it was, and even what they were wearing when they found out. I just always thought that was interesting.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Monica :] I'm at college 9 hours away from my family today and it makes me feel not so alone to know that other people are still thinking about what happened.
i kind of sort of know what you mean. I was 12 when it happened. I heard the news on the way home from school. These towers in New York City, practically on the other side of the world, were attacked. I felt very distant from the whole thing, because i was young and this was the first time i'd ever witnessed (even if just on tv) something this huge and horrifying, and it wasn't my country and i didn't know anyone who was affected by it. I just remember it being horrible to watch. I remember not understanding.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, i still don't. I don't think i ever will.
I'm from Scotland and I remember where I was when I heard about 9/11. It's mind boggling to think how that event affected the world.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. It's fascinating to see how people in other parts of America reacted on that day.