# Where were you?



## Nightingale (Sep 12, 2003)

Where were you on 9/11/01 when you found out what had happened?






I was on my way to work, on a Metrolink Train.  someone had a portable television that they watched the news on every morning, and a shout went up "oh my god! an airplane's hit a building in New York!" 

there were about thirty of us, including the train conductor, crowded around this itty bitty television.  the conductor kept giving periodic news reports over the intercom so everyone could know what was happening.

Nobody knew what to think at this point. we all thought it was an accident, until the second plane hit...




what's your story?


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## liangzhicheng (Sep 12, 2003)

I was sitting in class, and we were wondering why the professor was late.  When he finally came in, he told us the news...the significance didn't really hit me until later, and it felt so unreal.


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## Rich Parsons (Sep 12, 2003)

I had walked into work, and heard my name, then another person siad it could not have been rich who flew the plane into the twin towers he is here. At that point no one had confirmation and most thought it was a hoax.

Later that day, I was accousted by someone who was mad. He told me to go home back to my own country. I just smiled in stunned belief. When he continued and would not stop, I then said *"Go! Home! White Man !"*

Once again someone who as in shock.
:asian:


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## MountainSage (Sep 12, 2003)

I was getting my children ready for school and I turned on the TV to what I thought was a bad horror movie.  It wasn't a bad movie , but real.  I went numb for several days and mumbling How could this happen.

Mountain Sage


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## TheRustyOne (Sep 12, 2003)

Class. I ran out into the hall to escape the depressing pictres and cried.


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## theletch1 (Sep 12, 2003)

I was north bound on I-81 at mile marker 210 going from Roanoke to Charlottesville, Virginia.  Some one on the c.b. said that a plane had hit one of the Twin Towers in NYC.  Since you hear a lot of crazy stuff on the c.b. from bored truckers trying to start an argument to keep them awake I passed it off.  It wasn't until I heard another driver come back with a confirmation that he had heard it as well that I started to believe it.  I pulled into the next truckstop I could find and went inside to see it on the news.  It was the only time that I've been in a room full of truckdrivers and heard total silence.  Some were crying, some stunned, some angry.


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## jfarnsworth (Sep 12, 2003)

I was at work listening to the mess on the radio then went into one of the break areas to watch CNN. What a horrific day that was.


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## Kroy (Sep 13, 2003)

I went to visit my mother and arrived to see her in tears.


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## michaeledward (Sep 13, 2003)

Across the river from NY, in Teaneck NJ. We were sitting in the first meeting of the day, and all of sudden my cell phone starts vibrating ...and keeps vibrating. This was odd because, the only people who knew the phone number, or would call me on the phone, were sitting in the room with me ... so they wouldn't be on the phone.

Anyhow. Our meeting took its first break at about 10:00 AM. I walked straight of the meeting room, and out of the building. My cell phone didn't have a call-back number listed. I tried calling my wife (who wouldn't have called me on that phone), and couldn't get a signal ... all circuts are busy. Hmmm?

After about 10 minutes outside, I walked back in ... and there was a crowd standing around a television in the lobby (the television wasn't there when the break started). The group had just watched the first tower collapse. 

The second tower had collapsed before our break ended. The company went forward with the meeting ... we were in meetings for 3 days ...and then we fought like rabid hounds for rental cars.

From the 6th floor of the hotel, you could see the city, and the smoke througout the week we were there.

I actually didn't see the city, other than television, until Thursday afternoon, when I went down to the Newark airport to get a rental car. 

Apparently, my phone was ringing because the network was overloaded. I finally got a hold of my wife at about 3:30 PM on Tuesday.

Mike


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## Master of Blades (Sep 13, 2003)

I was in school. I came home listening to the word on the street that the buildings had been hit but I thought it was just another rumour......I came home and it was on every channel. I cant really remember how I felt


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## arnisador (Sep 13, 2003)

Walking across the quad, back to my office from a class. A colleague told me. He's usually fairly serious but I figured he was joking. Then I went into the lounge area and saw all the people watching the TV.


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## Ceicei (Sep 13, 2003)

That morning, my daughter Shauni, was sick.  I called my work to let them know I'm not coming in.  I went downstairs to the family room (where our TV is) to dress Shauni in clothes for the day.  

I turned on to CNN to check what is happening.  Just regular news.  Then breaking news came on.  I thought, "Gee, what a horrible accident!"  It wasn't long after that they showed LIVE the 2nd tower crash.  It was very surreal to watch and know its happening that very moment.  

The hardest part for me was to watch the desperate expressions of the people in the windows and seeing some of them jump out for a long fall.  Some of them had no expressions at all--sort of as if they knew they would die and accepted their fate.  

The collapse of both buildings gave a terrible finality especially since it was on LIVE.  It took me a long, long time to shake off the shock.  Even then, the images I watched are still etched into my memory.

For the next few days, none of us at work could do any work--we were all too angry and shocked--and glued to the TV, radio, and the internet for updates. 

- Ceicei


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## KenpoTess (Sep 13, 2003)

I was doing some stuff online and my daughter called from NC saying Mom turn on the tv,  I sat there in absolute awe... watching as the plane hit the tower... Feeling of confusion,shock and  total helplessness  not knowing what was happening. 

some of our friends were working at the MCI building right across the street from the Pentagon and a huge sigh of relief went up when we got through to them,  they said their boss came running in and said Leave the building Now.. don't bother to take anything.. just LEAVE.. they could hear the horrific noise outside and the building shook and windows rattled from the attack just across the street ..

my heart and tears went out to those devastated people.. feelings of complete and utter helplessness.


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## Ender (Sep 13, 2003)

I was on my way to work listening to my car radio. the station was KROC and I thot it was some sick joke they were playing. I was really angry with them for a while, until I got to work to to find out it was for real.


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## clapping_tiger (Sep 13, 2003)

I was at work and a truck driver came in and said a bomb went off in the trade centers, then it came in on the radio being played in the plant. They said it was a plane, then the other plane hit they said this could not be an accident. Then we received word that the Pentagon was hit, I then went numb and thought this was the start of WWIII. It truly was a sad day

I am sure most of you remember them saying it could have been worse at the Pentagon, but they were doing some remodeling. It is weird because as some of you know, I work for a contract manufacturer of office equipment and fixtures we were the company making the offices, the Pentagon was one of the places we make office walls for. We replaced all the damaged parts while they rebuilt. Talk about sort of creepy. It was very weird to see how much got sent out. It sent a message as to the real extent of the damage to the Pentagon.


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## pknox (Sep 13, 2003)

I was driving to work in Parsippany (about 1/2 an hour outside of NYC).  I was listening to the radio, and pulled up to the parking lot as the second plane hit.  My boss arrived at the same time, and I asked him if he had heard - neither one of us could believe it.  We went inside, and everybody was telling us what was happening.  We tried to log on to different websites, but couldn't get on any due to the traffic.  I was working for an Internet company at the time, so I thought it was kind of ironic that we were getting all of our news from clock radios.  At that point, I really started to worry, so I tried to call 2 people - my best friend, Tim, who works in Manhattan, and my brother, Tony, who is an Amtrak cop stationed at Penn Station.  I could get a hold of neither.  Around that time, somebody was able to get onto the BBC's website, and we finally saw the pictures.  Then the Pentagon was hit.  Within an hour, we had all been sent home by my boss -- it was fairly obvious that nobody was going to get any work done that day, and quite a few of us were trying to get a hold of friends and relatives.  Ultimately I got a hold of my friend and brother later in the day, and they were both OK.  I will never ever forget that day as long as I live - and I will damn well make sure my children don't either.  My mother tells me how she remembers exactly where she was and what she was doing when JFK was shot, and how that was the event that affected her generation.  Now I know what she means.


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## J-kid (Sep 13, 2003)

Well i was asleep as the first tower was hit but my dad was up and he came in the room and was like one of the twin towers were hit.   Me being so asleep and dreaming was thinking of a like a stone tower or something.  Went to bed late that day, then i was like Huh got up walked into the room and was like thats the trade centers then 5 seconds later they panned onto a second plane and then boom the second tower was hit.  I was like Holy ****.....  i turned on all the tvs to diffrent channels (then went on the internet on one computer and on a game on the other to see what other people knew about this)  I Thought to my self i better fake sick today.... so i faked sick so i could see what was going on, It surely was a crazy day and i agree pknox it has effected us just like when Jfk was shot.

What a sad day i will never forget it, and the worst part was i wanted to be in new york and helping people.  Also at the time i was to young to give blood  .


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## Chronuss (Sep 13, 2003)

I can't believe it's already been two years....I was a senior in highschool.  I was going from third to fourth period and a friend came up to me and had a blank look on his face and told me that the first tower had been hit.  I walked into fourth period, put my bag down and went over to the wall mounted tv and turned it onto the news.  I simply told the teacher that we needed to watch this...and a few moments after I had turned it on and class "officially" began, we were able to watch the NBC broadcast as the second tower was hit.


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## jfarnsworth (Sep 13, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Rich Parsons _
> *I had walked into work, and heard my name, then another person siad it could not have been rich who flew the plane into the twin towers he is here. *



Brother Rich, maybe it's me but I don't get it? Was someone trying to be funny about the situation?


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## cali_tkdbruin (Sep 13, 2003)

I live on the west coast, so it was early here when the first plane hit (5:46 am PDT), but for some unexplained reason I just woke up early that morning. I starting watching TV coverage of the event right after it happened. I was glued to the TV until I went to work in downtown L.A. 

Of course, all of the high rise office buildings in downtown L.A. were closed down that day as a safety precaution, including the building where I worked.  My employer sent everybody home that day. 

Anyway, I rarely if ever roll out of the rack until after 7 am. That day was just so surreal.


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## arnisador (Sep 13, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Chronuss _
> *I can't believe it's already been two years....I was a senior in highschool.  *



I was a senior in high school when President Reagan was shot. To this day, I'll say I need to check the news to see if the president's been shot or something the way I now hear others say they need to check the news to see if anyone's flown a plane into a building.

I watched the news in the A/V room (I had friends who worked A/V) all day. I just skipped class. No one cared.


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## Rich Parsons (Sep 13, 2003)

> _Originally posted by jfarnsworth _
> *Brother Rich, maybe it's me but I don't get it? Was someone trying to be funny about the situation? *



Brother Jason,

I think some people were commenting that I was late to work. You know the guy who does not show up to a meeting is at fault and or gets all the work assigments.

Yes, it is possible that someone was trying to be funny, and given my ethnic look, people make comments like this. I gave them the benefit of the doubt, as at that time, 10 to 15 minutes before 9:00 am no one knew the details.
 :asian:


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## Ceicei (Sep 13, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Rich Parsons _
> *
> Yes, it is possible that someone was trying to be funny, and given my ethnic look, people make comments like this. I gave them the benefit of the doubt, as at that time, 10 to 15 minutes before 9:00 am no one knew the details.
> :asian: *



Just curious, if you don't mind me asking.  Are you middle eastern, black, or asian?  An earlier post you made in this thread gave me the impression you are black.  I may be mistaken.  It doesn't matter to me which race, but I'm trying to imagine the situation you are describing.

if you don't wish to answer, that's alright.

- Ceicei


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## arnisador (Sep 13, 2003)

He's big, I'll tell you that. I'm thinking half-giant.


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## Ceicei (Sep 14, 2003)

> _Originally posted by arnisador _
> *He's big, I'll tell you that. I'm thinking half-giant. *



That made me smile.  Hagrid as gentle giant is my favorite.  

Let's get back on topic....

- Ceicei


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## jfarnsworth (Sep 14, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Rich Parsons _
> *Yes, it is possible that someone was trying to be funny, and given my ethnic look, people make comments like this. I gave them the benefit of the doubt, as at that time, 10 to 15 minutes before 9:00 am no one knew the details.*



I get asked all of the time if I'm mexican or of some other spanish descent. Even once I was asked if I were asian. I said no to all but I did say that asian women are very pretty. When I tell them I'm italian they just usually say "oh". Then go about their business.


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## jfarnsworth (Sep 14, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Ceicei _
> *Just curious, if you don't mind me asking.  Are you middle eastern, black, or asian?  An earlier post you made in this thread gave me the impression you are black.  I may be mistaken.   *



He put his picture up 3 times in another thead with other people. I can't remember which one at the moment but he looked like an american born citizen to me.


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## KenpoTess (Sep 14, 2003)

> _Originally posted by jfarnsworth _
> *I get asked all of the time if I'm mexican or of some other spanish descent. Even once I was asked if I were asian. I said no to all but I did say that asian women are very pretty. When I tell them I'm italian they just usually say "oh". Then go about their business. *



Yeah I can see where they think that.. 

and Here I am half asian .. but I don't think it shows .. go figure


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## KenpoTess (Sep 14, 2003)

> _Originally posted by arnisador _
> *He's big, I'll tell you that. I'm thinking half-giant. *



*hoping he fits on the sofa or air mattress  this weekend~!!   he and Jason can work those details out


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## jfarnsworth (Sep 14, 2003)

> _Originally posted by KenpoTess _
> *and Here I am half asian .. but I don't think it shows .. go figure  *



I never would have guess that.


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## jfarnsworth (Sep 14, 2003)

> _Originally posted by KenpoTess _
> **hoping he fits on the sofa or air mattress  this weekend~!!   he and Jason can work those details out  *



I'm hoping we don't have to fight over them.


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## KenpoTess (Sep 14, 2003)

> _Originally posted by jfarnsworth _
> *I never would have guess that. *



*answers you in your  thread


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## TheRustyOne (Sep 14, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Chronuss _
> *I can't believe it's already been two years....I was a senior in highschool.  I was going from third to fourth period and a friend came up to me and had a blank look on his face and told me that the first tower had been hit.  I walked into fourth period, put my bag down and went over to the wall mounted tv and turned it onto the news.  I simply told the teacher that we needed to watch this...and a few moments after I had turned it on and class "officially" began, we were able to watch the NBC broadcast as the second tower was hit. *




I was in AP English, and our principal turned on the tv system at once. Another teacher of mine was in hysterics because her husband worked in the section of the pentagon that was hit. She was eventually able to call her mother and she re-assured her that he was alright. He had been sent to Crystal City that morning.

School was unofficially canceled. A lot of kids left, I just stayed in the halls and did my work for the most part, ignoring the images they looped back endlessly. My neice and nephew's school in Gaithersburg, MD was canceled.

I hate to say it, I didn't turn on the news after that. I couldn't. I was sad, angry, and a whole slew of other emotions at everything. And I was a little concerned. When the Pentagon was hit, I wondered if they'd try the rest of DC, and I knew people who worked in DC.


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## Andi (Sep 14, 2003)

I was sitting about at home waiting for Neighbours (brilliant australian soap) or something to come on telly at about 1 or 2pm (it all kicked off about 9am your time wasn't it?) and instead of going to that they cut to this newsflash where they said about how a plane had hit one of the towers. On the BBC it was. I flicked around the channels and 4 out the 5 terrestrial channels were covering it. There was about 15 minutes between the two collisions wasn't there? Of course to start with, they were speculating whether or not it was an accident then the second plane hit and there was no doubt then. 

Unbelievable is an overused word, but it actually all was unbelievable. I spent the rest of the day just watching the coverage and trying to work out who actually had done it. All these weird little groups trying to claim responsibility for it, and all these "experts" chucking their tuppences in. A crazy day. One of those times when stupid little differences stopped mattering quite so much. Wish we'd been able to latch onto that feeling a little longer. Not just in a let's get the bad guys way.


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## IsshinryuKarateGirl (Sep 14, 2003)

Well, when the attacks happened, I was sitting in Math class learning some math related junk.  But, when I found out, I heard people on the bus on the way home that day.  The teachers never told us what happened.  They were so evil.  They knew what was happening, they had a TV in the teacher's lounge, but they decided it was best not to tell us what happened.  I think they should have told us because some people's relatives were down in the city and possibly involved in the attacks.  We should have been told about it.  I was in Jr. High at the time, so we heard about it from the High school people, who were told by their teachers.


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## jfarnsworth (Sep 14, 2003)

> _Originally posted by IsshinryuKarateGirl _
> *..  I was in Jr. High at the time, so we heard about it from the High school people, who were told by their teachers. *



Jr. High, huh? Hmmm, you are younger than I had anticipated.    That's alright though you have added to the conversations just fine.


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## Cryozombie (Sep 14, 2003)

> _Originally posted by clapping_tiger _
> *They said it was a plane, then the other plane hit they said this could not be an accident. Then we received word that the Pentagon was hit, I then went numb and thought this was the start of WWIII. It truly was a sad day*



I had this exact same reaction... My roommate (who lives on the main floor of my house, I reside (primarily) in my basement)  came down and woke me up and told me that the twin towers were "Down" and the pentagon had been hit... I was like what??? And turned on the TV... it was all flames and smoke and chaos... I really belived a war had started and this was a preliminary strike to an invasion... 

I remember getting my body armor and some gear together "Just in case"... It was unbeliveable.


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## OULobo (Sep 15, 2003)

I was at my desk at work when I started to hear about it on the radio. I spent the rest of the day in the lab, getting nothing done with everyone else just listening to the radio and checking yahoo and CNN for updates. Throw in a prayer or two and a call to my girl and my parents. What I remember more is reading about it in the papers and magazines and seeing pics of the people plummeting out of the building about a day or two later, and not being able to stop myself from crying for about 5 min. before I forced my self to buck up. Every generation has a defining moment of sorrow; Pearl Harbour, JFK's assasination, ect., looks like now we have ours.


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