I was in Alaska
Taking my time to pop into the office
A call told me to check out the news
No office that day.
We lived near the airport
Air Cover from military
Kept war planes flying low and fast
Directly over our house
All other flights grounded
Hours, Days, and Weeks
That more slowly became Months and Years
Every time we pass the calendar of 9/11
I remember.
When I worked for Texas Commerce Bank in the late 1980s and early 1990s, I was fortunate enough to be on a team that upgraded software systems with our newly merged parent bank(s). Plural? Yes. We went through so many mergers and name changes that I’m not sure when it happened, but I’m now an ex-employee of Chase Bank, even though they were never in my picture of employment.
Anyway, I went to NYC several times.
Once, I stayed in the Vista International Hotel nestled between the WTC Towers. It was bombed by terrorist in 1993. After it was repaired, Mariott bought it and renamed it to: Marriott World Trade Center. On 9/11, 40 people died as a result of the tragedy.
While staying at the Vista, my morning routine was to rise early and go to the Subway/Train station in the basement of the WTC Towers. With coffee and bagel, I would sit up high and watch the thousands disgorge from the station on their way to work. It looked like someone took a stick and twirled it around in an ant bed.
One morning, I went to “Windows on the World” restaurant situated on the 106/107th floors of WTC 1 (North). Sitting at the window, I got to watch NY wake up! On September 11, 2001, a plane crashed into the North Tower at 8:46 AM, killing all 79 people on the 107th floor, including 72 staff members.
After dining (breakfast), I could go out on top of the building of WTC 2 (South) and walk the edges at 1,377 feet above street level. You could not get close to the edge, but the outside viewing platform was fascinating. It is unknown how many may have been outside, as I’m sure they cleared the observation deck when WTC 1 was hit at 8:46 a.m. WTC 2 was hit at 9:03 a.m.
I’ve not been back since then.
But one of these days, I’ll stand at the memorial and remember in person.
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