[at-l] So...

[crys717 at yahoo.com (Crystal Robinson)]

Felix asks us where we were on September 11, 2001...
 
I was sitting in my tiny cubicle, staring blankly at the computer screen, chugging what I believe to be the 3rd Mountain Dew of the morning, trying desperately to stay awake.  
 
You see, I had spent the weekend with college friends, spending too much time hanging out and having fun and too little time sleeping.  Monday, September 10, I was at the airport at 4 am to catch my flight back to Atlanta, arriving back just in time to make it to work.  I remember sitting on that plane, chatting briefly with the guy seated next to me, then dozing off for an hour or so - my only sleep of the night.  September 10th I was dozing off on a plane.  That would be the last time I would do that...
 
In any case, my weekend had finally caught up to me and I was tired.  I actually dozed off while staring at my computer screen.  When I woke up, I remember thinking to myself "Man, something HAS to happen today to keep me awake."  I meant a time sensitive project, or a massive influx of data to be entered, or the usual assinine projects my boss seemed to send my way.  I got a lot more than I wanted.
 
One of my coworkers yelled for me to come into his office.  He had his mom on speakerphone as she was describingthe scene that CNN was showing.  Several of us were crowded into that tiny office before we remembered the big screen in the conference room upstairs.
 
We got up there about 15 minutes before the first tower fell.  One of my coworkers was seated at the head of the table, sobbing.  He had just transferred from our NY office - all of his friends were at the top of building 2.  Two main competitors in our industry, Marsh and Aon, held the tops of building one and two, respectively.  I didnt know this at the time, but I quickly learned.  I had just left my internship with Marsh 3 months before to come work for Aon.  I knew (or knew of) people from both companies who were there (and who were lost).
 
When the first tower fell, it shook me deeply.  I secretly wondered "What's next?" and wanted to shake the people around me who were discussing how our (incredibly tiny) office building could be next.  I watched until the second tower fell, then I had to leave.  I had to get out.
 
I went back to my desk to gather my things when the phoen rang.  I really didnt feel like listening to clients, but I answered it anyway.  It was my mom.  All she said was "Are you ok?" and the floodgates opened.  It was the first time I had cried.  Its amazing how mom's have that affect on you.
 
I left work early that day, after contacting many of my friends who were supposed to be in either the Pentagon or down town NYC that day.  I got calls and messages from people I hadnt talked to in years, asking if I had heard from our mutual friends.  I spent my morning tracking people down and hearing about their near-misses.
 
I left at noon.  I got a sandwich from Publix for lunch, and sat on my coffee table, a foot from my TV, watching CNN.  My phone rang and it was my best friend - we just sat there in silence, on the phone, but needing to have that connection.  I think we sat like that for about 2 hours, sometimes talking, but mostly in silence.
 
It was a day that changed me greatly.  I cant even begin to explain how, other than it helped me realize there are a lot more important things in life than those I was focusing on.  I remember weird details from that day (such as the sub from Publix) and probably have forgotten more important ones.  But I will never forget how I felt, nor how it changed me.
 
Crystal (Peak-a-Boo)
 
 


		
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