I FIRST HEARD ABOUT IT WHILE SERVICING ONE OF THE ACCOUNTS ON MY ROUTE. (I WORK FOR FRITO-LAY-TRUCK DRIVER) THE PERSON TOLD ME, A PLANE FLEW INTO THE WORLD TRADE CTR. I WAS ACTUALLY THINKING IT WAS A JOKE.. AND HE WAS ABOUT TO TELL ME THE PUNCH LINE.. WHEN HE TOLD ME ANOTHER PLANE HIT IT AGAIN THAT MUST HAVE NOT SEEN THE TOWERS FROM ALL THE SMOKE.. AGAIN.. I THOUGHT.. WAS HE FOR REAL?.. I LEFT THE STORE ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER.. AND STARTED TO TRAVEL WEST BOUND ON THE LONG ISLAND EXPRESSWAY. THE HOV LANE WAS CLOSED TO “EMERGENCY VEHICLES ONLY”..AND THERE WERE WHAT SEEMED LIKE 100’S OF THEM. ALL HEADED TO NYC. IT FINALLY KICKED IN. “THIS WAS FOR REAL” WHAT WAS HAPPENING?. COULD OUR GOVERMENT LET US BE SO VULNERABLE TO AN ATTACK OF SOME SORT?… IMPOSSIBLE!.. THIS IS THE USA!.. THIS IS NEW YORK CITY!! NO WAY COULD THIS HAPPEN. WHEN I TURNED ON THE RADIO I HEARD IT WAS OR HAD TO BE INTENTIONAL. I WENT STRAIGHT HOME. ABOUT 2 MILES AWAY. IT SEEMED LIKE THE ROADS WERE EMPTY EXCEPT OF EMERGENCY VEHICLES. I TURNED THE TV ON. AND JUST WATCHED IN SHOCK. I COULD FEEL MY MOUTH GETTING DRIER AND DRIER. I WAS THINKING.. IS THIS IT? IS THIS THE BEGINNING OF THE END?.. THEN THE IMPOSSIBLE HAPPENED.. A TOWER FELL TO THE GROUND.. AT FIRST I THOUGHT.. OK, MAYBE ONLY THE TOP HALF BROKE OFF AND THE REST WAS STILL STANDING.. AND THE PEOPLE INSIDE.. WOULD STILL HAVE A CHANCE. BUT WHEN THE ANGLE CHANGED ON THE TV, I SAW IT WAS COMPLETELY GONE!.. I WAS STANDING WHEN IT HAPPENED,AND MY KNEES ACTUALLY BUCKLED.. I STARTED CRYING. AND I AM NOT ONE TO EXPRESS MYSELF THAT WAY. BUT THIS WAS SOMETHING I WOULD NEVER THINK COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN. I THOUGHT FOR ONCE.. A GENERATION (MINE).. WOULD BE THE FIRST NOT EXPERIENCE SUCH A HORRIBLE TRAGEDY, INVOLVING OUR COUNTRY TRYING TO SURVIVE FOR OUR FREEDOM. I WAS WRONG. NOW I KNOW AND FEEL SO MUCH MORE TO THE UNDERSTANDING THAT OUR VETERANS HAVE THAT HAVE DEFENDED OUR COUNTRY. I ALWAYS THOUGHT.. WAR WAS CRUDE. AND THE WRONG WAY TO GO ABOUT SHOWING WE ARE THE BEST AND MOST CIVIL NATION IN THE WORLD. I ALWAYS THOUGHT. WE COULD EXPRESS THAT IN SOME OTHER WAY. WHAT THIS SHOWED ME.. IS THE REST OF THE WORLD.. OR AT LEAST A LARGE PART OF IT, HASN’T EVOLVED YET.. WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.. AND WE
M U S T . PROTECT OUR COUNTRY AT ALL COSTS. INCLUDING WAR. WE HAVE TO BE ANOTHER GENERATION, ALTHOUGH USING SMARTER TECHNIQUES, WE MUST SHOW THE WORLD ONCE AGAIN. WE WILL PREVAIL. IVE HEARD IT SO MANY TIMES BUT NEVER REALLY REALIZED IT.. HISTORY REPEATS ITS-SELF. AND UNFORTUNATELY. ITS DOING IT AGAIN.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!. AND EVERY PERSON, NO MATTER WHAT NATIONALITY THEY WERE, WHO PERSHISED IN THE WORLD TRADE CENTER, IF THEY WERE FROM THE USA OR NOT. AT THE TIME THEY WERE IN THE WTC. THEY WERE A L L AMERICANS IN MY BOOK!