5 Years Ago Today
5 years ago today, I remember sitting in my office when my co-worker, Tammy, came in saying a plane just hit the WTC. I told her to "Shut up!" How does that happen, Pilot error? Only later to find out that a 2nd plane hit - at that time we realized it wasn't pilot error. As I sat jammed in an already crowded conference room watching the Today Show it was there I learned a plane hit the Pentagon and another went down 30 miles near our hometown in a field - Shanksville, PA.
That day I had a meeting scheduled in Baltimore for a claims review. I remember my, at that time cold hearted ass of a, boss* still wanting to leave for that meeting. As Tammy and I talked amongst ourselves saying we didn't feel comfortable going and just really wanted to be home, he broke in the conversation and said "If you two want to cancel this meeting then YOU TWO call Baltimore and tell them." "But I feel there is no reason for us not to go."
I remember thinking, what is wrong with you? We have just been struck by terrorists, four planes are down and thousands of lives have been lost and you're worried about some stupid meeting that can be rescheduled, and the say women in power have issues...what about men with power? Only to learn when we called the Baltimore office they were closed due to the attacks. Later that week we learned, they had a sister company in the 2nd WTC and no survivors. The Baltimore Branch was closed for 2 weeks.
Around 11ish that day our company got called into the rotunda area for the announcement from our CEO telling us to go home and be with our families. I remember trying to figure out which way to drive home as they closed all roads surrounding the Johnstown Airport. One would think living in the area all your life you would know all the back road nook and crannies to everywhere, not that day.
I still have that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach knowing that someone has that much hate towards you. Living in fear of things you can not control just sucks.
What were you doing that day?
*Note this is not my current boss - this boss is from a previous employer and company
posted by DMM @ 5:37 AM
2 Comments:
I dropped Harley off at school and I stopped to grab coffee before heading home. I heard something about a plane hitting New York City and the WTC on the radio. I thought it was a joke. I raced home to discover that this was all too real.
I was sitting at my desk when someone from another department brought in a piece of paper they printed off the internet about the news of the 1st plane. Within a short time we heard of the 2nd plane. Then when we heard about the pentagon & flight 93 I thought it couldn't be true. I thought someone surely has taken this out of context and started a terrible rumor. Sadly, I was wrong...
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