Everyone was speaking in very frantic tones. People starting calling. I tried to type in www.freerepublic.com to find out what the ruckus was all about. The internet did not work. I tried other sites-nothing worked. I began to sense that something terrible was taking place. Victoria tried calling her car pool, screaming she wanted to go home and get out of DC. As she was gathering her things, she screamed My God the pentagon was hit. We all got up and looked out the window. We could see the black smoke billowing up in the sky.
Finally, it dawned on me. We were under attack. I stood motionless watching the smoke rise. Linda picks up the phone-- no dial tone. I run over and try mine and it was working.
I gasp. My closest friend works in the Pentagon. She works on the top floor. We thought the plane hit the roof. I cried, My best friend, Bert, is there -- where is the damage, where is the damage. I immediately pick up the phone and call my friend. Rings but no answer. Her phone line goes dead. I hang up. My phone rings, it is my son. Are you all right? How is Bert? I tell him I don't know. He says the radio says it hit the roof on the side with the helicopter pad. I told him she had worked right there where she could look out the window and watch the helicopters land but that she had just been moved to the recently remodeled section. I told him that was on the other side. All of a sudden another explosion -- he called out -- they just hit the USA Today building in Rosslyn -- right next to where his wife worked. Linda in the office is frantic since her sister works in the USA today office. Victoria says the news just said there was a car bomb at the State Department just a few blocks away.
Jerry sits at his desk working away. Hey, this is the GSA building. No one cares about us. we are safe here. All of the bosses are away at some conference. Every man for himself.
I try the phone again to call my friend. Her line no longer works at all. I try calling my mom. circuits busy can't get through. Internet does not work, email is down. Bettie comes in the office trying to find a way home. Her husband is a critical employee and cannot leave. I told her I had driven in that day. I usually take the subway. Everyone was worried about taking mass transportation. I tried to tell Bettie we were safe here, just like Jerry said. She wanted to go home. I suggested we go to a restaurant and wait until after the traffic died down.
I relented. We went to get the car. Got to the parking garage. No attendants there. Traffic everywhere. Cars just standing still. We walked down into the building and started looking for the car. the attendants were running around trying to collect the money as people got in their cars and started to drive away. I always tip them so they help me get my car to a good spot to get out.
We made the long slow trip towards home. We listened as everyone was doing to the car radio. I believe most of us older people were listening to WMAL. We heard there was another plane headed our way. We inched our way into traffic
The radio guys announced that the bridge was closed and we would not be able to get out the way we normally do. Bettie know an alternate route. We headed towards some cirle (dupont I think). Everyone was so polite. No horns honking. People would point in a direction they needed to go and everyone made room so they could go through. We all sat quietely just listening to the radio.
We heard that there was a plane downed in Pennsylvania. I really cannot remember what I was thinking at that time. I was numb. The radio guys said there was not state department bomb - a false report and there was no planes attack to the USA Today building. I was relieved that my daughter-in-law was probably ok. I remembered my friend. I kept telling myself that she was in a different part of the pentagon and that she was safe. Bettie had a cell phone - we could not call out. Her phone rang. It was her sister. Bettie told her to call my mom and tell her I was ok. Bettie's phone rang again. this time her husband. We asked him to call my mom. Her husband calls back after he gets my mom. Bettie's batteries stop working.
We heard a plane in the sky. Everyone looked out of their cars and was relieved to hear it was one of ours. They were there to protect us. the radio guys assured us there was no fifth plane.
three hours later I got bettie home and drove to my house. I call every five minutes trying to reach my friend. I talk to my Mom and Son. I watch the news selfishly wishing they would show the pentagon and not the WTC. At 6:13 my friends phone is busy. Thank God. She must be alive and well and at home. Having been a telephone operator, I know that when two people dial the same number at the same time, one will ring and the other will ring busy. Even if no one is there. I get in my car and drive to her house. Her car is not there. My heart sinks. I pull into her driveway and go to her door anyway. I grab the knob and the door opens. there she is standing there on the phone trying to call me. She was worried about me.
that is my story. sorry for the spellings and the capitalizations. just felt good to write in down.