We All Remember

There’s hardly a person who was alive in 2001 who doesn’t remember exactly where they were when the twin towers fell in Lower Manhattan.

I was at my desk in Austin at the Texas Health Department. Over my little radio, talk-show DJ’s reported a plane flying into a building in New York City. They dismissed it as a horrific accident.

At the same time, one of my coworkers came hurrying down the hall calling us all to “come see this”.

She had a small black and white TV in her office. I think she used it to watch soaps at lunch. A handful of us squeezed into her tiny office as we watched in horror as the second plane flew into the 110-story World Trade Center.

As smoke billowed and people ran in terror, I remember repeating over and over in my head, “that building is going to come down.” I didn’t want to be right.

Everything is a blurr after that. I remember that the internet crashed but not if we were sent home or went back to work. I think we just sat around in shock.

It’s hard to believe its been twenty-five years. We all know where we were and how our lives changed as a result of the boldest terrorist attack on the planet. While many declare that we will never forget, in another twenty-five years I likely won’t be here to remember and I’m just fine with that.

DOS TORTAS

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