I haven't forgotten....

Composed my memories of that day and period of time, living almost 25+ miles away.

I haven't forgotten either. Typing this on 9-10-05.

9-11-01, I was at my office in Garden City, Long Island, NY. The same spot where I was when the first terrorist attack on the World Trade Center occurred. Back then someone said to me "They blew up the World Trade Center", I said "yeah right". This time, I didn't say, "Yeah Right".

I zoomed down to the cafeteria where they had the TV’s on. Everyone was standing around, watching the building on fire over in Manhattan about 25 or so miles away. We all were in shock. Somehow I knew this was no accident at first. A jet plane with advanced systems just crashing into that building, made no sense. As we watched all the sudden the other plane hit, on live TV. You could hear the whole place gasp at once, people were in tears. I freaked, thinking we are under attack, needed to call my pop over at the flea market at Aqueduct Race Track. It was Tuesday, he was selling there. Franticly, I tried to place a call on my cell, seemed all the cells were locked up, could not get a call out.

I ran back upstairs, waited around for a while, no one said to go home or anything. There were even a few people who just went back to work. I am like thinking, we are under attack and these people are interested in work, at a time like this. Said to myself, hell with work, I am going home NOW. I have no idea what is ahead, who is attacking, is this the end, what ever. I also wanted to be in my home where I can watch the news and have control of the remote control.

I left, headed to my car and zoomed home towards Long Beach, in a hurry. My luck, a slow van in front of me and I am in a hurry, I honked him out of the way and sped home, with the radio on, listening to how the building is burning. I am on the Meadowbrook Parkway, heading south towards Jones Beach. Reached past Merrick Road where there is sort of open land there, can see the World Trade Center from there. People were parked on the side of the road watching the building burn from about 25+ miles away. Strangers were standing at the side of the highway as the building burns, consoling each other. I hear on the radio how the building starting to topple. Unbelievable, this was.

Finally got home, zoomed upstairs to my apartment and watched TV. Heard how they shut New York City down. Ran into some neighbors, and said to them, now I know how it feels to live in, Israel. All the parkways were at a virtual standstill, people could not get anywhere in the New York City area. I was wondering at the time how the news stations going to cover a massive disaster like this, so much going on. I was scared, thinking this was close to the end.
The news kept repeating over and over and over and over again, the plane hitting the building. Why do they keep doing this I am yelling at the TV. Then they had the nerve to show people jumping out of the building. I could not watch. What is with these news people I am asking myself as I watch alone in horror. Do they have a different sense of reality there? Repeat the same thing, show stuff they shouldn't’t show on TV and make a spectacular out of this?

All in all, my feeling of security in the USA was shattered. I had visited Israel a number of years ago and felt as if the enemy was in so close as to be if I were in Brooklyn, the Arabs were in Manhattan. No longer did I feel secure from war or suicide bombers.

Finally, I got a hold of my pop at the flea market. He is telling me on the phone all these Arab vendors are jumping for joy, celebrating as people were dieing. It was kind of like what the Palestinians were doing over in the Mideast, same people. He wanted to head over this way. I yelled at him on the phone, highways are closed, head home, which is in Brooklyn and closer to him. Don’t come here. He later seen the traffic was bad and headed home.

A few hours later, I tired of watching the news. I figured I needed to go for a ride. I rode my bike past the local hospital, seems they were waiting out there. Even here many miles away, I could hear the sirens going. As I passed the hospital, I asked them at the gate, were there any arrivals from the tragedy, they said, none. Thought, maybe it was too early. Later we learn, there were none arriving. Hopped on my bike and rode my bike further on to the bay pier. We can see the buildings from here, they were still burning, and we can see the smoke from the distance.

I had worked in the World Trade Center for summer jobs. Many people from the area where I live work there. It was a site I seen from a distance where ever I lived within the New York Metro area. Use to be seen outside of New York City. It was always there.

The TV was on all night. I was a nervous wreck. One minute you hear about threats against the Empire State Building, and then another we hear Grand Central Terminal and so on. What is next? I kept thinking.

That evening I went over to the synagogue, someone comes in for services with his child, he was in the area at the time, could see the gentleman was distraught. We had a special service to remember the people who perished, many of them live near where I live. I could have looked at many of those who perished when they were alive or they are familiar faces I never said hello to.

I went back to work a few days later. I could hardly eat much for days. I was just sick to my stomach. My personal security has been breached or perhaps the illusion of my personal security has been breached. I could hardly sit at my desk; watched a lot of TV in the cafeteria. These Navy Corpsmen came in all dusted up, they been there all night long. They looked tired and over worked, they were pointing to the TV set saying they were at that corner and so on.

The air back in Long Beach, was starting to take on an odor of smoke. We can see the smoke continue to rise in the skyline for days at a time. My brother, 45 minute drive east of here out on Long Island, could smell the smoke there.

For days at a time I kept thinking about what was to happen next. It was a time for faith and to pray for survival. This whole situation was unknown to me.

There were many ceremonies here in Long Beach, for weeks at a time, Firemen, Policemen, etc. Candles were lit and people went to the sea. Happens around the same time, the City of Long Beach were installing new benches on the boardwalk, and people could buy a bench with plaque and all. Many plaques here have the names of locals who have perished. People leave flowers and other things to memorialize their loved ones which a bench was named after.

I pray everyday for the lost souls of 9/11. I pray for all the families that are still grieving. I am still grieving and I didn't know anyone personally who died.

I tell my four sons they should never forget either. Too many people can just push it under the carpet and forget too quickly. Not me. I will never forget them, the innocent ones who were murdered at the hands of OBL!

I went to my regular Sat. night mass tonight, I was highly insulted that my pastor didn't even mention the events of 9/11/01. Not even in the special intentions, did he forget to mention the 3,000+ who died or for the families that were left behind.

And what about the firefighters and policemen? And their families? Please don't ever forget about them FReepers.

It is our duty as Americans to keep their spirits with us and our promise to their families that we won't ever forget them. They did not die in vain.

God Bless America! MVV

I may be right behind you...it's a damned disgrace!

Beautiful post. I will never forget that night, walking our dogs (my husband & me) on our farm, and looking up at the night sky. It was pitch black, no airplanes at all up in the sky, they were all grounded. I felt sick to my stomach from the day's events. It's just something I won't ever forget.

Thank you so much for posting your thoughts and actions on 911, and after. Very insightful......