5 Years Later

A solemn day, lest we forget. I'm sure we all remember what we were doing on that day.

I awoke around 9am on September 11, 2001. Turned on the TV and saw this smoking image of a building. A bit bleary eyed from just waking, I assumed it was a movie. Suddenly, I realize what I was watching. I sat in stunned silence. For several minutes. My roommate at the time, Vonnie, came bolting out of her room. Her mother had called to check on her. We both immediately got on the phone trying to get a hold of loved ones to see if they were okay and to let them know we were fine. I had a friend or 2 working in the towers that were able to get out. Luckily, I got through to my mother pretty quickly as I knew she'd be a mess. I had to work at 11am at the hotel. I was bartending/bar managing at the Hilton Times Square at the time. I got ready and got on the bus to work. People were abuzz as to what was happening. I remained silent. Taking it all in. I arrived at work and slowly made my way in.

The previous weeks, I was taking wine courses for sommeliers at Windows on the World. Yes, the restaurant on top of the World Trade Center. I had my last class on September 10th, 2001. As I left the towers around 5pm, I thought to myself. "Wow. So many people." Not realizing, of course, that 16 hours later that it would all be in ruin. That was one of my first thoughts after seeing everything on TV. "My God. All of those people."

I came into work and the whole lobby was full. As was the restaurant/bar. People couldn't leave and guests coming in couldn't check in. Everyone was confused and upset and bewildered and angry. I took a moment and then jumped behind the bar. People didn't know what to do, so they just...well...they just drank. I don't blame them. Soon after, guests from our hotels downtown near the site started to arrive. I heard harrowing tales from people witnessing people jumping out of the buildings. Of the towers falling. Of the panic and confusion. One woman couldn't stop crying as she told me, "I watched the people jumped. And I swear I could see their eyes pierce through me asking for help." She felt so helpless. I did my best to reassure, but I couldn't imagine the horror she had witnessed.

The bar never slowed down. More and more people were arriving. The lobby was overflowing, as was the bar and restaurant. Most everyone was very supportive of each other. Strangers were embracing each other and talking and trying to be there for each other. I had guests checking on me to see if all of my family had gotten a hold of me. I was worried because my sister and I hadn't been in touch. I knew she was worried and wanted to let her know I was alright. There were a couple of assholes in the bunch. People who actually complained about late food,etc. I was furious and started to go off on one of them. A few other guests overheard it and took care of it. Telling the guy, "Do you realize what happened today? There are more important things in this world than you waiting an extra 10 minutes for a burger!" Indeed. I suppose angrily complaining about food was just his way of dealing with what happened, but it wasn't helpful.

The hotel brought TV's out so people could follow the latest news. Reports of other planes missing targets. Possible heroism of passengers on Flight 93. The amazing force of firemen and police that rushed down to assist. Some losing their lives. Images of people running away, covered in dust. The ineptitude of the President and the federal government to respond. The efficiency of the Mayor and the local government to respond. The city on lock down.

By 11pm, I finally got a hold of my sister. I sat down with some guests throughout the day. Consoling, talking, and just really trying to understand. A few friends came by just so we could be together. By 1am, we closed up.

I hadn't had a chance to even think about much. I was so busy working and serving all of the guests, that I guess it hadn't hit me yet. I got home and my roommates were glued to the TV. I went straight to my room, sat down, and cried. I could see the images in my head, the stories that witnesses told me, thoughts of what was next, etc. I counted my blessings and thanked whomever above. Gathered myself and went out to hug my roommates.

New Yorkers took it hard. Very hard. I knew this affected the whole world and I knew that so many cared. Yet, I realize how disassociated people can become when it's not in their backyard. A day or 2 after the tragedy, I had to contact AOL about email problems. The operator on the phone was so cold and uncaring. Trying to sell me another program and saying, "Let me go ahead and sign you up for this program at a minimal monthly fee." I interrupted, "LISTEN! I live in NYC. Do you realize what has happened here?!!! I just want my emails to go out." Something like that. He was silent for a moment and finally did what I asked. I was flabbergasted. I know that this was a small example and that most people cared, but it didn't make it suck any less.

I'm certainly no martyr for working all day and listening to people. It's just part of the tale. The next few months found people being much more friendly. Strangers greeting one another. I found myself hugging and kissing and saying "I love you" more. It really hit me. Quite often, I still feel that way. Unfortunately, a lot of that feeling has passed. People are back to their normal and nasty selves. Yet, I still have hope. I'm certainly not the best friend in the world. And, I have a lot of bad qualities, I'm sure. But, I love my peoples. And, I hope, that one day. That can be enough.

Never forget. Live on. Love on.

Comments

[ZiggyNJ]

I was rewatching the first Daily Show after the attacks. Jon Stewart started off talking about remembering MLK being killed. Then he said that the attacks actually realized his dream. We were finally not judging people by the color of their skin, but the content of their character. It really was true. It didn't matter who you were or where you were from, everyone pitched in at whatever level it was that they could help. Be it at Ground Zero or as simple as giving blood. I still see some of the positive changes that happened on that day but they are unfortunately fading. I know that I am a little kinder when I walk around the city.

I was discussing the impact of 9-11 with a customer today. We were talking about how we still can't watch any shows about it. I told her that I couldn't even consider seeing "World Trade Center" because it is all still too fresh to me. I think it is because I am so close to it happening. I still think of my friend's husband who died. I still cry.

[mike.]

Everyone who knows me knows that I am of a...shall we say, cynical bent...but I honestly saw none of this supposed "good", this spirit-of-people-coming-together-ness that came after 9/11.

Sure, I was living in scary North Orange County, CA at the time, and everyone there took the day(s) off as a chance to just hang out on their curbs, getting drunk and spitting insults at any car that didn't have a flag decal on their windshield, or any pedestrian who wasn't wearing a ribbon or one of those flag-jumpsuit things that those mullet-headed guys on the religious channels always wear. The flag-waving nationalism reached a fever pitch around the time I took a picture of a guy on the corner charging $10 for these incredibly badly-copied flag decals and refrigerator magnets that didn't even have the correct number of stars (dots, actually) on them. People, if anything, were MORE racist than ever - the targets may have changed (somewhat), but the hatred was the most vehement that I have ever seen.

Everyone tells me that things here in NYC were different, and I have no reason to doubt that, but I moved to the city six months after 9/11, and I must say that the level of hipster snootery, racism, and people complaining that the city isn't "fun" anymore is actually less today than it was four-and-a-half years ago. Or maybe that just means that the city is "fun" again now.

Just saying, is all. Happy Tuesday, everyone :):):)