“Now, we have inscribed a new memory alongside those others. It’s a memory of tragedy and shock, of loss and mourning. But not only of loss and mourning. It’s also a memory of bravery and self-sacrifice, and the love that lays down its life for a friend–even a friend whose name it never knew. “
- President George W. Bush, December 11, 2001
- President George W. Bush, December 11, 2001
Day 363 of Sobriety
11 years ago today, I was on my sailboat at the Gangplank Marina in Washington, DC across the Potomac from the Pentagon. The cap'n and I were busy getting ready to catch a plane back to Kansas later that morning, the friend that was taking us to the airport knocked on our boat and said, "Are you guys watching the news? I don't think you guys are going anywhere today." We hurried and turned on the news and watched the second plane fly into the trade center, a few minutes later we heard a plane flying low over the marina, we rushed up to the cockpit and heard a loud explosion and watched a cloud of smoke rise across the Potomac. The Pentagon had been hit.
I spent the rest of the day getting drunk.
Where were you?
Wow. Your story is very similar to mine, except I was in New York at home in my dank apartment with my then 2 year old son. I was drunk and on drugs and didn't really comprehend. It was only a few days later when I took an elevated subway which offered a lovely clear view of the Towers. Except that day it didn't. It made me weak in the knees.
ReplyDeleteI was at the window of my office, right by the brooklyn bridge, watching the towers fall and flipping out over all my friends who work near the towers and as firemen. Naturally, I followed this with consuming oodles of wine for a few days and then, a few weeks later, MARRYING my boyfriend out of some kind of bizarre post-9-11-alcholic-fear-based reaction.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that all worked out really well! So glad to be sober today...