I forgot what today was until reminded by the radio after I dropped the boys off at school. How could I forget such a memorible horrible day? Seven years ago I worked at Advent. I was sitting it my cubicle office space, illustrating some invention with my favorite program Correl. I was listening to an old CD that I never listen to ~ Chicago's Greatest Hits. I have not listened to it since. The art director Bill McCormick walked in and told me what happened. I didn't understand. He turned on his regular choice of radio program, Howard Stern. Howard was shocked that an airplane hit the first tower. Maybe it was an accident. Robin made comments, but I don't recall what they were. I always liked her. Bill and I kept working while listening. Howard announced the second hit. Things changed a bit. Worried co-workers went home. I was shocked and confused, but not affected.
Ray and I watched the news together that evening at our home. I think it was the next day that President Bush addressed the nation. Of course this means war. Of course. This day changed Bush. He was a joke before 9-11. Ray and I had watched a show called That's My Bush on Comedy Central. We always laughed at how dumb he was. His sarcastic maid always pulled stunts behind his back. That show ended immediately. Bush says war. War it is. Ray was in the National Guard back then, and he knew he would be called to go to war. But first, we should get married.
I was attending Coastal back then. I never could decide on wedding plans. The only thing I insisted on was the beach. I didn't think my family would come, therefore I didn't want his there unbalancing us. I didn't want anyone to know about it. It was so weird that Mom called and told me she eloped, only days after I had gotten my license. I should have told her our plan, instead I congratulated her. I remember my class mates reaction to my tardy excuse. It made me feel warm and fuzzy. One girl in my sculpture class lent me a shiffon skirt. I dreamed of a feathery shiffon dress blowing in the breeze on the beach. I could have bought it for $50, but I gave it back later.
We were married on the beach on my birthday. The sky was clear, the tide was low. The sand was packed. I was barefoot, Ray was not. The minister drove a white minivan and so did the only 2 people we invited to take photos - Mark and Karen. Ray had built a pool for them, and we were paid partly with a boat. I waterskiied behind this boat a few times, but it quit working before the boys could take a ride. We hope to buy a new motor eventually. The minister gave me a bouquet to keep. It made me smile more. I did feel momentarily elated.
Against my better judgement I occasionally complain about my marriage. Why did I even do it? Beacause of September Eleventh. Witnessing the loss of thousands of New Yorkers. The stories of final cell phone calls. Final words ~ I love you. It made me want to take hold of what really matters: love and family. Why wait any longer? Live faster and fuller because we never know when we too will be destroyed.
Please comment ~ where were you?
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3 comments:
Wow good post! I always think about where I was each sept 11th. I had just gotten back from the gym and was getting ready, for some reason Leah (we were roommates at the time) got up early and was doing an aerobics (we were hardly ever up at the same time. She had finished the video and the news was on. I think it was the first plane. I was like wow thats weird and scary. Then I got ready and went to my class at the U I think thats when the 2nd hit but I can't remember all I know is I started calling my family to see if they had heard. As I walked to class it all kind of hit me and I started to cry. I wanted class to be cancelled so we could see what was going on but it wasn't. After class I got to work and a bunch of us went to the gym area and watched the tvs I remember them showing a scene of people in the middle east dancing in the street. It was so sad. I couldn't get enough of all the tv to see what was going on. We'll never forget that day. On the 1 year anniversary I was on a cruise in caribbean and wondering the whole day if something would happen again.
thanks. i didn't cry, but i couldn't get enough tv footage. seriously, ray kept turning it off.
I was at home. my step mom called and told me what happen. I jumped up and turned the tv on. i watched the second plane. i cried. i couldnt believe it was happening. i had to go pick up my cousin who lived an hour away and i listened to the radio the whole way. people were sending out there thoughts. everytime i hear tuesdays gone with the wind. i think about it. i use to watch thats my bush also. your wedding sounds romantic. i had been married only nine months then. i didnt like bush then. i was angry with him for how he acted. i thought he was jumping to conclusions.
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