My Own Sept. 11th, 2001 (588 hits)
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Rating: 1.04 on 26 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by kaos-king (antius777) (View user info) at 2006-09-11 06:44:01 EDT
A little bit of background first - At this time in my life, I was dating my Ex who we shall name "April" for the sake of this this tale. After three years at KSU's art program, I had dropped out for multiple reasons and moved in with her back in my hometown of East Liverpool. I had continued to take some classes part-time at the local branch campus while we lived together, but in the summer of 2001 we moved to Kent, Ohio so she could continue her schooling.
For me, it was a return to Kent, but for April, it was the first time away from her hometown. Although we had already lived together for two years, that first summer away from East Liverpool was difficult for her. It didn't help when I left my job at Sherwin-Williams after two years, after transferring to a local store. Great paint, but the company had mistreated me on money, hours and benefits. I found I could make a more lucrative living working for the fucking convenient store down the street. Later, once I became accustomed to the area, I would find Damnation working for Coca-Cola in their Customer Service Department. Anyway...
I was working the night shift at the store. I preferred that, although April didn't like it much. It was quiet and I was able to get the work done peacefully. I even had time to read the newspaper. I can remember that Bush had pulled the United States out of some big United Nations conference. I can remember thinking, even back then, what a douchebag he was. I worked the night of September 10th into the 11th from 10pm until 6am, then went home to catch a scant couple of hours sleep until I drove April a few miles to the art building.
I don't remember anything all that special or different about the drive to the art building. Were there more students running about, more chaos than usual at 11am at a college campus that large? I don't know. I pulled the car up to a temporary parking spot and helped April pull all her supplies out of the trunk, her portfolio and two boxes of media. We walked in through the side doors right by the office like we always did. There was a large television that had been placed out in the foyer and a gathering of students stood around it it. I paid little attention, assuming it was some school-related thing, probably sports nonsense. I helped April lug her supplies up the stairs to the second floor and kissed her goodbye for the day.
I hurried back through the growing crowd at the bottom of the steps and out to my car. The "Parking Nazis" love to ticket everyone on campus, plus I had to go cash my paycheck. I believe I had plans to get some chinese food for lunch that day. I got to the bank and it was absolutely silent inside except for one lone radio playing the news. As I was cashing my check, I looked around suspiciously. Finally I asked my teller what the hell was going on.
"There's been an attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon."
What the flying fuck?!?!? To hell with the Lo Mein, I know I got home pretty quick. We didn't have cable at the time, so it was a choice between CBS and NBC. I watched, stunned, as Dan Rather tried his best to come to terms with what had happened. My best friend lived the town over, and although we had recently had a falling out, I immediately called him. He had to go to work later that day, but he was watching as well. We put aside our differences for about a half hour as we discussed the ramifications of what we were witnessing.
Shortly after hanging up with him, local news reports started scrolling across the bottom of the screen. Cancellations of all kind were being reported throughout the area... including classes at KSU. I high near ran to my car to get April back to the apartment. This time I DID see a difference on campus. Students were huddled in groups everywhere, moving like zombies. I got to the art building, only to find April sitting on her media boxes in front of the television out by the office with a bunch of other students. We gave each other a big hug, and I remember a petite blond girl started crying when she saw us. She said her boyfriend went to Ohio State and she was scared. We didn't really know what to say.
We got back home and laid down on the couch together, curled up in each other's arms and watched the television all day long. I knew that I needed to sleep more - I had to work 3rd shift that night, but I couldn't do it. I feared missing some bit of information, some new development. I also feared letting go of April.
We lay there on the couch and watched as the towers came down. We lay there on the couch and watched them replay footage of the second plane crash. We lay there on the couch, safe in our apartment, and watched thousands of people die.
As night crept up, April pleaded with me not to go in to work. I knew that I would lose my job if I didn't. I had called the store, only to find out that the madness had infected everyone, everywhere. People were stocking up on food and there had been a gas scare started somehow. Does anyone else remember that? A few of the competing establishments had raised their prices, but the place I worked at hadn't. We had lines reaching out past the road for individuals clamoring to fill their tanks.
So I kissed April a hundred-some times and went to work. It was insane. It this was when I first started hearing about the "new hate." At this point, it was only speculation that an extremist Muslim group had done the attack. It was a cold hard fact to many of the residents in the town that neighbored Kent. Terms like "Sand Nigger" and "Camel Jockey" were being thrown around openly in a way I had never heard. That evening, a new and deadly prejudice had been born.
And now it's been five years. April and I split up about a year later, but we are still the best of friends. (Being with someone for 7 years will do that.) My best friend and I are talking again, and we went in to our 10 year High School Reunion with another buddy of ours over the summer and drank ourselves stupid. I never did finish school, but I find myself far more fulfilled now by the written word than I ever was than the visual arts.
And of the events of that day? So much has happened in the world since then, I can barely conceive of it. We've all lived it together, we've all be here through this pivotal time. And hopefully, in the peaceful future our grandchildren will reside in, we'll be able to tell them all about it.
User Reviews
Submitted by NecroBlanca1 (user info) at 2006-09-13 05:00:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: -1
My God, you're a self-involved asshole
Submitted by chipolatte (user info) at 2006-09-12 00:51:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
do you remember when
we used to sing
fa la la la la la la la la la la la
Submitted by shitfuck (user info) at 2006-09-11 22:37:38 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Good for you!
Submitted by Lisa (user info) at 2006-09-11 21:53:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I dropped out of Kent State, too.
Submitted by awesome_face (user info) at 2006-09-11 18:37:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
That bottom left picture is my favorite of you.
So pissed off yet so contempt with life(or the cigarette)
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2006-09-11 16:54:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
good bit of writing.
what's up with all the hate?
Submitted by HadToBeDone (user info) at 2006-09-11 16:41:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
cockjockey
Submitted by HadToBeDone (user info) at 2006-09-11 16:41:33 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
fuck anything with 9/11 in the title
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2006-09-11 16:39:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
oh man, you sure haven't aged well...
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2006-09-11 14:01:01 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
you looked so happy in that first picture. it's nice.
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2006-09-11 12:27:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Submitted by youarsoghey (user info) at 2006-09-11 12:23:56 (#)
Ranking: 0
Why should anybody care what panicky people around the country did on 9/11? Suddenly everyone who had hated NYC for no apparent reason "was been affected by this horrible tragedy?" Please. If you don't come from the city, nobody cares where you were or how you handled it. It was a national tragedy, but first and foremost, it was a personal tragedy for people who actually live there. As one of those people, I urge you to shut your ugly face.
===
lol
Submitted by youarsoghey (user info) at 2006-09-11 12:23:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Why should anybody care what panicky people around the country did on 9/11? Suddenly everyone who had hated NYC for no apparent reason "was been affected by this horrible tragedy?" Please. If you don't come from the city, nobody cares where you were or how you handled it. It was a national tragedy, but first and foremost, it was a personal tragedy for people who actually live there. As one of those people, I urge you to shut your ugly face.
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2006-09-11 10:41:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by RyuFu (user info) at 2006-09-11 09:42:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I enjoyed this perspective.
On an aside...you looked a bit slimmer back then, buddy. Hmm, I was slimmer 5 years ago myself. Bah.
Submitted by TheSpook (user info) at 2006-09-11 09:39:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
But seriously, they didn't cancel classes at Akron until like 11:30. Our chinese teacher didn't even believe us.
Submitted by TheSpook (user info) at 2006-09-11 09:38:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Can't read, can't write, Kent State!
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2006-09-11 09:21:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Watching the news for days on end became almost an obsession. I was like a zombie news whore.
I love the pictures.
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2006-09-11 07:46:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
WTF? I'm not reminiscing all of that.
Submitted by Maltese (user info) at 2006-09-11 07:41:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You look hotter than she does.
Submitted by sexualchocolate1984 (user info) at 2006-09-11 07:36:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: -1
When I first heard, me and my buddies were sure that the revolution had begun and we had a big old smoke and some beers to celebrate (any excuse)
Was gutted that it was a bunch of Sand niggers (will be using that one) and not the front man from rage against the machine.
The revolution will come one day, one day soon!
Plus I would have fucked the shit out of "April" in 2001, but she's dog rough now. Yuk! Plus she's screwed all of the teenage mutant ninja turtles so you should leave that dirty green pussy alone!
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2006-09-11 07:30:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by GodChicken (user info) at 2006-09-11 06:55:22 (#)
Ranking: 1
You looked a lot happier in 2001.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Not Really. That was at a wedding where I was very drunk.
Submitted by hour_man (user info) at 2006-09-11 07:21:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by GodChicken (user info) at 2006-09-11 06:55:22 (#)
Ranking: 1
You looked a lot happier in 2001.
----
Good read. Less racist than most september 11th posts. Not that I care, but it was a good read.
Submitted by Merlina (user info) at 2006-09-11 06:58:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by GodChicken (user info) at 2006-09-11 06:55:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
You looked a lot happier in 2001.
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2006-09-11 06:49:58 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
I've been up all night trying to get an extended short story reformatted for a publication, Jay.
8683 words. Had to restructure it and make it a functional RTF.
I'm quite tired and I've smoked too much in the last few hours...
Submitted by jgreening (user info) at 2006-09-11 06:45:28 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
PF2
How's it hangin, KK?