9/11

Photo by Lars Mulder from Pexels
 

Here's what I remember. The day seemed ordinary. I was working in a library--a different one than the one I work at now.

Earlier that morning I heard about a plane hitting one of the towers. No one knew it was terrorism at that time. 

I think by the time I got to work the 2nd tower had been hit. Newscasters were already theorizing terrorism.

Then, at the library, someone had a TV going in the off desk area. This was before web streaming became common place and before smart phones.

The TV was only turned on at the library when important or tragic events were happening. For instance it was on when the Columbine shooting happened.

The towers started falling. 

I had to prepare the desk because we were opening soon. Suddenly, a colleague started crying. He and his fiancee had just been on a trip to see the twin towers in New York scarcely a week ago.

"We were just there," he said, but I knew he wasn't talking only about the place. He was thinking of the senseless deaths, the lives cut short.

 

That colleague, who was also a friend, has passed away now. His marriage didn't work from what I heard.

His was the first honest reaction. Every one else was trying to maintain professional distance I think.

They were in shock but the reality had not settled in. They were still pretending, not letting their guard down, even me. In a library or any job, you have to keep going, provide service, no matter what. This is the mantra of service type jobs. 

That is probably what the stewardesses on the plane did, the captain and the crew.