Where Were You When...

I can remember it like it was yesterday. I didn't know anything had happened. By an odd coincidence, I didn't have the radio on at all while I was driving to my classes. I didn't pay any attention to the radio on the bus ride into campus - I was too busy finishing up my Literature reading and studying for a Latin verb quiz. I walked to my 9:30 class in silence, by myself. I remember vaguely hearing a girl in my English class mention something about the World Trade Center to another classmate before the professor came in. She asked us if any of us knew anything about what was happening in New York City, something about a plane hitting one of the Towers of the WTC. No one really knew anything, and the impression she gave was that some small plane hit grazed the top of the tower, or something small like that. She just waved her hand, and started in on Charles Brockden Brown's Edgar Huntley like nothing was wrong. After class, I pulled out my Latin notes and started reviewing them as I walked to class and happened to pass through the Trabant Center. It was then that it hit me that something was really wrong, for the entire placed was packed, people crowded around all the TVs. I took a few minutes to check out what was going on, and in one fell swoop learned that both towers had been hit, both had fallen, the Pentagon had been hit and a plane had gone down in a field in Pennsylvania. I didn't want to leave, but had to get to my other class. I passed a girl who was shrieking into the payphone, trying to make sure a loved one was okay. One of my friends who was in RotC was ready to leave that very day to start dishing out paybacks. I got to my Latin class, and our professor carried on like everything was normal, for she had no TV at home and didn't pay any attention to the news. After about 10 minutes of her mindless chatter, a classmate asked in frustration if we could just get the bloody quiz over and done with and get out of there, and then we had to explain to her what had happened. She understood and gave us the quiz and let us leave. I went home, found out from my parents that my uncle had up until earlier that year worked in one of the towers, and spent the rest of the day numb. I was very fortunate not to have lost family that day, or have to suffer through the pain and loss that day brought, and so today I say a prayer for those who are still dealing with this tragedy. My heart goes out to you.