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another day
Sep. 12th, 2001 09:49 amI couldn't figure out why my phone call to a new client in New York wasn't going through yesterday. It was about 9:15 AM Eastern time, which was, unbeknownst to me, about 10 minutes after the second plane went into the second tower. After several attempts to reach the client, I called one of my colleagues for a work-related question instead. I asked why he sounded so down when he answered the phone. He told me he was watching the news. "Yeah, the news is pretty depressing, isn't it?" I said. "No kidding," he replied. "I wonder if bin Laden was behind it." "Behind what?" I asked. He told me, and I ran upstairs to turn on the TV. That was the end of my work day - I couldn't stay away from the TV until I went to bed last night.
Anger was never one of my emotions yesterday, nor is it today. I would hate to see the US retaliate in such a manner that might spark a return attack. Israel and Palestine have been locked in this kind of vicious circle for years: one attacks, the other responds, the other attacks again, and so on. The problem is, nobody remembers who started it anymore. As if that matters anyway.
The main thing I feel is fear and sadness for everyone who is touched by this. Thousands of families would have had their loved ones not return from work yesterday, and many of them will probably turn out to have died. I also think about the terror and fear that must have gone through everyone at the trade center or on the ground below. How would it feel to see a plane flying towards you in your office like that? Could anyone see the pilot's face at the last moment?
When I checked my e-mail at the end of the day, I got a message from the client I hadn't been able to reach in the morning. He said that he was fine, despite having witnessed the second plane hit the trade center from his own office, which had a direct view of those buildings. Selfishly, I hope that that's the closest I'll ever get to this tragedy. Although, I have been trying to make an appointment with the Red Cross to donate some blood. Who knows if it will be needed, though.
Anger was never one of my emotions yesterday, nor is it today. I would hate to see the US retaliate in such a manner that might spark a return attack. Israel and Palestine have been locked in this kind of vicious circle for years: one attacks, the other responds, the other attacks again, and so on. The problem is, nobody remembers who started it anymore. As if that matters anyway.
The main thing I feel is fear and sadness for everyone who is touched by this. Thousands of families would have had their loved ones not return from work yesterday, and many of them will probably turn out to have died. I also think about the terror and fear that must have gone through everyone at the trade center or on the ground below. How would it feel to see a plane flying towards you in your office like that? Could anyone see the pilot's face at the last moment?
When I checked my e-mail at the end of the day, I got a message from the client I hadn't been able to reach in the morning. He said that he was fine, despite having witnessed the second plane hit the trade center from his own office, which had a direct view of those buildings. Selfishly, I hope that that's the closest I'll ever get to this tragedy. Although, I have been trying to make an appointment with the Red Cross to donate some blood. Who knows if it will be needed, though.
