Fourteen Years Ago

I've probably written this sometime, but a friend inspired me to relive it.

Fourteen years ago I lived on the other side of Denver. I had three kids, including a four month old infant, all sleeping early on the morning of September 11. My daughter, and maybe my middle kid, were in bed with my wife. My oldest had probably gotten on the bus early and left for school, but that day is a blur.  At least one, maybe two, of my sister-in-laws were also sleeping.

I remember sitting on the floor, starting to stretch as I had some water and breakfast in the morning. At that time I worked about 10 mi from work and rode my bike to work every day, M-F. My truck was at work this Tues morning, having been left there the day before. I'd leave it Monday and drive home Friday, using my bicycle the other days.

The previous night had been MNF in Denver, with Ed McCaffrey breaking his leg against the Giants. Not a good start. However I turned on ESPN, not to see about the Broncos, but to see about Michael Jordan. This was the day he was supposed to announce his return to the NBA. However ESPN wasn't showing an MJ press conference.

Instead it was showing the scene in NYC. A plane had hit one of the towers and smoke was pouring out. I thought it was an accident, maybe terrorism, but at that point I didn't think much of it. I assumed this was like the attack years before and was contained. I got on my bike and sweated through the 10 miles to work.

I arrived to find a crowd of people around one of the few (tube) TVs in the office. We had a couple for some reason, but everyone was in shock. I don't think I changed, dropping stuff on my desk and crowding around with others. We speculated as poorly as the announcers on TV, everyone seemingly in shock.

When  we saw the second plane hit, the whole scene was surreal. I know plenty of people think this is a conspiracy of some sort, but I'm sure I saw a plane on TV. Whether there is anything more, I don't know, but shortly thereafter we closed for the day, just sending everyone home.

I rode my bike some, somewhat in shock. The scene at my house was oddly just like work. Everyone crowded around and watching on TV. I couldn't even imagine what happened the rest of the day, but our world in the US certainly changed. I know I was angry and wanted revenge, like many others. I was happy to have us invade Afghanistan.

Since that day, I'm sad to think of all the people affected, but proud at how NYC responded and pulled together.