9/11

I had some people ask me recently where I was on 9-11, so in case you wondered and though not very exciting, here it is.

I was working on 9/10 and had just gotten up on the morning of 9/11 at the firehouse. I had only been a firefighter for a little over a year. It was just before 7 a.m. and when I walked out of the dorms into the day room I found my crew and another firefighter from the oncoming shift who had arrived early all with their arms folded standing behind the lounge chairs staring at the TV. I could tell right away that something was wrong. No one was sitting in the chairs, they were all standing as if at attention and above all else, everyone was silent. That rarely happens in the firehouse, especially if the news is on because there is usually a sarcastic running commentary or jokes about the top stories by at least one member of the crew if not several. Also, no one acknowledged me entering the room. I joined the crew in watching the story unfold. I didn't say a word or ask any questions. As the first tower fell, the only thing I could even think to say in my head was, "Holy shit, I don't believe what I'm seeing."

At that same time, another of our crews (my crew now) was responding to a call in our six story City Hall building and was walking up the interior stair well. They stepped out into an office on one of the floors and heard the news. The only one who wasn't with them was the engineer who sat blissfully on the fire engine completely unaware that the world had changed.