Saturday, September 11, 2010

Where were you?

September 11, 2001.


I was working in my temporary office in London. I was between assignments and was due to go to the small country of Mauritania in northwest Africa on September 13th.

Having returned to my office after lunch, I was busy at the computer whn a fellow worker stuck his head in the office and asked if I had heard thenews. He told me that an airplane had flown into the World Trade Center in NYC. We got a streaming video on his computer and watched for a few minutes. Word quickly got around the office and we went downstairs to the lobby and watched the breaking news on a real television. Just like you, we were enthralled. By this time, the 2nd plane had hit the WTC and the thinking was that a plane was going to hit the White House.

Before long, we were told to evacuate the building (located on a business/industrial estate near Gatwick Airport). Thousands of office workers did the same. After a short time, we were told to go home.

My bosses gave me the option of going to Senegal instead of Mauritania. In Dakar, the Muslims are somewhat less radical. I knew this because I had spent many months there previously. So I bypassed Nouakchott, Mauritania and went to Dakar.

Where were you?



10 comments:

steveroni said...

In my car on the way to a rehearsal, which was later canceled.

Here is my
REMEMBRANCE

Mary Christine said...

I had just woken up, having slept late after being at the Broncos game for the opening night of Invesco Field. Turned on the TV to see how Ed McCaffery's leg was... and saw what I prayed was some strange movie, but it wasn't.

Syd said...

I was at the psychiatric hospital with my mother who was getting an ECT for depression that morning. I watched it on TV in the visitor lounge. And it was horrifying.

Carol said...

I was in wreckage, working as an aide, helping a 23 year old quadriplegic (suffered during a drunk driving accident)get his breakfast. His mom returned from errands, said turn the TV on, there is something going on. He had a big screen TV and we were watching when the second tower went down. (Your word verification is 'kneings', is that the act of falling to one's knees?)

Anonymous said...

Hi Dave

I was up in Limpopo province with some eco-tourists and conservation researchers. We heard the news on the radio in the landrover and one American tourist said,'This kind of thing is supposed to happen to you insignificant people in Africa not us.'

Then he blushed and everyone just looked at him.

tolonges said...

I was at an ATM in Gainesville, Ga. I called my dad who lived in Ca. He woke up and turned on the TV in time to see the second tower get hit. When I got to the gym the pentagon had just been hit. Someone commented that we were under attack...I was stunned.

Trailboss said...

Steph and I were just about to walk out of the door to go to daycare and work when I saw that Ted Kennedy was supposed to be the next guest on the Today Show. Katie Couric was trying to figure out what was going on. I told Steph "those are the twin towers in NYC." Steph had no idea what I meant. I wish I had just stayed home from work that day and watched the entire thing. But I didn't. When my boss got to work she had no idea what was happening. We only had 1 customer that day (I was working at a State Farm Insurance office). We all just sat around in a daze.

Em said...

I was on break between classes in my first year at college. the news was shocking.

Unknown said...

I was at work at a c-store when a customer came in and told us what was happening. I called my husband to pick up the boys from school. Our customers were just in shock all day.

♥namaste♥

JeremyRT said...

I was at work uptown (5th Ave & 20th St.) from the towers, I can remember hearing people scream & looking down from my office & seeing everyone running.. we ran down to the street and watched being far enough away it all felt surreal.

We eventually were told to go home & I walked with some friends some 40 blocks home. Everyone that day was in a state of shock & disbelief - yet there was a huge sense of humanity as well.