I was in World Trade Center 2 the night before. At about 9:30pm, I sat in the plaza looking up and marveling at the 110 floors of human achievement my ancestors could never have even dreamed of. I remembered a conversation I had with a friend who said his daughter asked, “What would happen if the towers fell, Grandma, you live so close, would you be okay?” Grandma replied to ease her granddaughter’s fears, knowing that such a thing would never happen, “If they fall, they’re designed to fall the other way, dear, so I’ll be okay.” On that night, I set my alarm to get to the bank at 9am for the next day. I spent a lot of time that year sleeping in till late morning and really didn’t know why I needed to be awake at that time, much less at the bank as they opened their doors. Call it a nudge. On the way back, I saw a large puff of smoke in the distance. I spent the next two days straight watching the news – no food, no sleep – like many of us, in total shock and horror. The next few days after that and one entire evening into morning were spent in Union Square, a make-shift vigil of conspiracy theorists, truthers, mourners, and artists and musicians trying to bring us back to a perceived sense of peace. While standing at the top of the stairs I had a rather unique birds-eye view of one middle-aged man and one middle aged woman yelling at each other. They were about 10 feet away from each other and a crowd gathered. Most tried to get between them. They made their way to within arms’ grasp of each other, and when they realized they were both arguing the same point, the man teared up and cried out, “Then why are we fighting each other?” The woman teared up as well, managed to get out an “I don’t know,” and they hugged each other. All others in the area joined in from around them; transforming anger and despair into a peaceful and mournful group cathartic hug.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 17:24:00 +0000
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