shadow19's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Remembered Here's what I wrote that year, while we were vacationing on Cape Cod: Tues Sept 11, 2001: A horrible and surreal morning and day. Stepped out of the shower and heard Fred yelling to me...”Hurry. Look at this,” he was saying as he watched TV. Saw that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center in Manhattan. We thought, initially, that it was a random accident. After breakfast, I saw the footage of ANOTHER plane deliberately plunging into the second World Trade Tower. By now, it was obvious that the crashes were terrorist attacks. Sat glued to the TV for awhile and saw that a plane also crashed into the Pentagon, and into the Pennsylvania countryside. All planes were hijacked...two out of Boston’s Logan airport. Kept wondering when the carnage would end, and even wondered if we should head home. Took walks throughout the morning, when the news coverage became a little too overwhelming. Terrible footage plays all day...the World Trade Centers collapsed a short time after the attacks, billowing huge clouds of dust and debri s into the streets. Firefighters, police, nurses, etc trying to rescue people are killed in the collapses. Osama Bin Laden, Saudi exile hiding out in Afghanistan, is the main suspect. All day news. HGTV, Food, QVC, etc. show no programming in respect for the day’s horrific events. Have never seen anything like the footage that we have seen today...but still, it is obvious that we cannot get a real sense of the chaos in New York and Washington. Called home tonight to “check in”. They are as rattled as we are, but must go on. Spent some time on the beach this afternoon...warm and sunny. Fred went in the water. I stayed on the beach and read a bit (due to hemorrhaging). Wished I could’ve hit the water. Maybe later in the week. Ordered pizza from George’s and ate in front of the TV, watching the continuous coverage. Visited the Harwich library in the evening (gorgeous) to read magazines, then back home to watch more TV. Hard to not watch. I imagine that it is much like when Kennedy was assasinated. As I was about 4 at the time, all I remember is the non-stop coverage...much like today. Bush is back at the White House, after being in Florida when the day began. He gave a “scripted” speech this evening...calling for justice, is his main thrust. My feeling is that it’s a little early to talk much about this, but I suppose that’s what he has to say. Wed Sept 12, 2001: More TV watching in the AM. I’ve never watched so much TV on vacation, but every time we turn on the set, there’s some sort of development being covered...e.g., detained suspects at Boston’s Copley Hotel, etc. Finally ventured out and went to Marion’s Pie Shop and picked up a small raspberry pie. We’ve seen the place every time we’ve been down here, but never stopped there. Picked up a sub at George’s and ate a harbor overlook along Rte 28. Peaceful scene, which is what we needed more than ever. After lunch, we rode up to the Chatham Trail and rode the paved stretch. After that, the trail turned to sand which was too deep to ride through. Turned back, took showers, and went back to the Lobster Shanty in Eastham for dinner (Fred had chowder and stuffed quahogs and I had my boiled lobster). After dinner, we walked Scout around Chatham, and found David Angell’s summer home on Shattuck Lane (he was a executive producer of “Frasier”, and was killed in one of the high-jacked planes). Back home where we watched more of the non-stop coverage of Tuesday’s disaster. Thurs Sept 13, 2001: I keep humming the song “It’s the end of the world as we know it”, which has somehow seeped into my head ever since Tuesday. Life will never be the same after the terrorist attacks in so many ways...air travel will never be the same [costs, security, confidence level] (and I don’t think I ever want to fly again, though I always enjoyed it), we’re fearing more terrorist attacks, we’re fearing how the US will react, and what that reaction will yield. Today we tried to shake the bunker mentality and headed up to Race Point to ride the trails. Gorgeous summer and breezy weather...not too hot...until the end of the ride (sweaty from hill-climbing exhertion). Lunch was a steak & cheese sub from George’s. Watched coverage after lunch for a couple of hours (some survivors found amidst the rubble, terrorists are being ID’ed, some airports are running again, scattered bomb threats), then went down to the beach and played in the surf. Cool, but the water was nice once you got used to it. Very relaxing and soothing. Must be the salt water and the lull of the surf. Dinner at “Ay, Carumba”, a Mexican restaurant in Harwich. Sat out on their front patio...warmish evening...I had grilled beef tacos and Fred had a huge beef enchilada. Good and reasonable. As we sat ont he patio, I noticed many cars driving by with American flags. Many, many houses flying American flags. Walked the beach and in town with Scout. Tonight: More worrisome developments. Arrests at JFK airport of men posing as pilots (uniforms and fake IDs; also possessing the sort of knives used in Tuesday’s high-jackings). VP Cheney moved to Camp David, reservists being called up, all seemingly connected. It has been hard to relax during this surreal week, but on the plus side, all of last week’s frustrations with work have evaporated. Last week seems so very far away and I can remember that I was frustrated, but I can’t remember any specifics. Guess that’s a lesson. It is all small stuff. Maybe I’m just noticing this more, but it seems as if more people are holding hands, kissing, and not taking each other for granted. It is a time to feel so very lucky, even amidst the nagging, daily anxiety. 9:18 a.m. - 2004-09-11 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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