A friend of mine has his birthday today. I can't imagine what it must be like to have to celebrate your birthday on the anniversary of the greatest US tragedy our generation has ever known (knocking on all sorts of wood after that statement). A day that for many years prior to 2001 was a happy occasion, is now a day of somber reflection. If I were him I would be extra mad at the people behind the attacks for taking that away from me. He is a good person. He takes pride in the fact that he lives in a country that has afforded him so many good things and I know he would not hesitate to defend that country at any cost. He has taken a very admirable stance on this subject and embraced the importance of somber reflection on this day. He asked his friends that rather than post a mindless birthday wish on his page, that we remember where we were that day and how we felt, and write that instead; to honor the fallen.
So I obliged his request and wrote a little blurb on his wall. When I finished, I couldn't go to sleep and felt the urge to elaborate on it. So in the wee hours of the morning, when I should be in bed, here is the story of how 9/11/2001 impacted me:
I was waiting at the gate for someone above my pay grade to come and open it at Enterprise Rent a Car. I was a lot attendant there. I had picked up a second job at the time because times were tough for a temp archaeologist and there were very few shovel bum jobs to be found. I never watch the news in the morning and at the time was only listening to tapes in the car so I hadn't heard anything earlier. The other lot attendant pulled in behind me and got out and asked if I could believe it. I had no idea what he was talking about and then he told me . . . I couldn't believe it.
I had to work the whole day so I didn't see any of the footage. When I got home I couldn't bring myself to turn on the TV. Maybe I thought if I never saw the footage than somehow it would have never happened; you know, kind of like the theory about trees falling in the forest with no one to hear it . . . unfortunately people had heard it. But I knew what would be on TV if I turned it on, so I didn't. I think I managed to go 6 months before I saw the footage of the towers being hit by the planes for the first time . . .
I remember walking around the whole day in a daze listening to the radio in the office, when I wasn't washing cars in the back, for updates on the situation; just trying to wrap my head around why anyone would be compelled to do such a thing. I wrote the chorus to one of my favorite songs I have written that day, asking that question:
Are we really all that different that you would have to take my life?
Could I have taken you for granted? Have I caused you any strife?
I was only working 9 to 5 to support my wife and kid.
What grievance have I caused you, that you would do the things you did?
Ten years later, I still haven't gotten a satisfactory answer . . .
So like many of you, I will take many opportunities today to reflect upon the people who lost their lives in the attacks and the people who have since lost their lives in an attempt to defend us from future attacks, and the families that they left behind. But I also want to wish my friend a happy birthday because I believe there is room for both and celebrating another year that we have been given is one of the best ways we can honor the price that was paid to give it to us. Happy Birthday buddy! You are an inspiration!
Until next we meet.
So I obliged his request and wrote a little blurb on his wall. When I finished, I couldn't go to sleep and felt the urge to elaborate on it. So in the wee hours of the morning, when I should be in bed, here is the story of how 9/11/2001 impacted me:
I was waiting at the gate for someone above my pay grade to come and open it at Enterprise Rent a Car. I was a lot attendant there. I had picked up a second job at the time because times were tough for a temp archaeologist and there were very few shovel bum jobs to be found. I never watch the news in the morning and at the time was only listening to tapes in the car so I hadn't heard anything earlier. The other lot attendant pulled in behind me and got out and asked if I could believe it. I had no idea what he was talking about and then he told me . . . I couldn't believe it.
I had to work the whole day so I didn't see any of the footage. When I got home I couldn't bring myself to turn on the TV. Maybe I thought if I never saw the footage than somehow it would have never happened; you know, kind of like the theory about trees falling in the forest with no one to hear it . . . unfortunately people had heard it. But I knew what would be on TV if I turned it on, so I didn't. I think I managed to go 6 months before I saw the footage of the towers being hit by the planes for the first time . . .
I remember walking around the whole day in a daze listening to the radio in the office, when I wasn't washing cars in the back, for updates on the situation; just trying to wrap my head around why anyone would be compelled to do such a thing. I wrote the chorus to one of my favorite songs I have written that day, asking that question:
Are we really all that different that you would have to take my life?
Could I have taken you for granted? Have I caused you any strife?
I was only working 9 to 5 to support my wife and kid.
What grievance have I caused you, that you would do the things you did?
Ten years later, I still haven't gotten a satisfactory answer . . .
So like many of you, I will take many opportunities today to reflect upon the people who lost their lives in the attacks and the people who have since lost their lives in an attempt to defend us from future attacks, and the families that they left behind. But I also want to wish my friend a happy birthday because I believe there is room for both and celebrating another year that we have been given is one of the best ways we can honor the price that was paid to give it to us. Happy Birthday buddy! You are an inspiration!
Until next we meet.
