We Remember

Take a moment to remember what you were doing and where you were, seven years ago, on September 11, 2001. I was at work, at DAR, and we were sent out for one fire drill after the other. Coming in from one of them, I called my mother to find out what had happened and was told that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. During the last drill, we could see smoke and hear sirens wailing. No one's cell was working. I remember cursing mine roundly because it is always dead when I want to use it. Once inside, I called back to learn that a plane had hit the Pentagon. Around noon, we were sent home.

Traffic was one massive gridlock. Nothing was moving. One of my passengers got out of the car at 17th and E, stating that she would walk. We had moved exactly two blocks in about 45 minutes. It was evident that going straight up 17th Street was not going to work but I knew that I could take the E Street Expressway, hit the Rock Creek Parkway, and get uptown that way. Once we got on the Parkway, there was little traffic and across town we went, depositing people within walking distance of their homes. My last passenger, a dear friend, lived in Hyattsville, MD, which we reached around 2 p.m., and watched the news with her family. Then I returned to D.C., where I promptly put up a flag on the front porch and made cards for each person's desk in my section.

My mother lived in Crystal City, blocks from the Pentagon. She had a heart condition and was terribly upset. But, entry to the area where she lived was blocked so we could only talk on the phone.

I'd like to hear your stories. Please post them. And pray for the people who lost their lives and their families. Pray for your country. 911