Where was I on September 11, 2001?



I had just arrived to work at the John F. Kennedy Center, fashionably late as usual. My office was right across from the IT Department and I could see them watching the Today show in their office... at the time it was still thought that the first tower had been hit by a small plane. We were all glued to the TV in disbelief...


And then the second plane hit and we instantly knew it wasn't an accident, but had no clue of exactly what was going on. The crowd around the little 13inch TV grew larger as we watched eager for more information.


Then someone came down the hall screaming the Pentagon was on fire... many of us in disbelief ran up several flights of stairs, only to look across the Potomac and realize America was under attack. The Kennedy Center sits right next to the Saudi Arabian Embassy, so it was evacuated immediately. I sat on Constitution Avenue in between Union Station and the U.S. Capitol when the news came out that another plane was approaching DC. I have never heard this city so quiet... we prayed, we feared.

Finally making it out of the city... I sat on my friend Wayne's porch trying to reach family and friends to let them know I was ok, as we smoked several blunts and watched the endless repeats of coverage on the news. It was definitely a day I will never forget.

4 comments:

life said...

This is a day no one will forget. I remember walking into my work study job and I was like what's going on? This is a job why are there tv's on everywhere. Then, I saw that video I was like omg. I left and went home. Went to church that night to pray and just was blown. Red, what are you doing smoking?

Mr. Jones said...

I lived in DC at the time as well. I wrote a post about my experiences on my blog. Feel free to check it out.

As for these..ahem, herbal refreshments. I've been known to join in on a cypher or two, but I know I couldn't have handled one let alone several blunts that day. Well, I dunno. I would've either been too emotional or very chill like...damn, that's fucked up. ya'll see that smoke? They blazing too.

WhozHe said...

I remember watching the morning news thinking that the plane crashing into the first tower was a movie preview. I just didn't believe it could be real but it was. Then on the way into work I remember there wasn't a plane in the sky, they had stopped all flights. It was a day I think we all lived in fear.

Anonymous said...

LOL And smoked several Blunts?!! I know that's right!