where we were

9/11/2001.

A day that will we will never forget.

Victims that we will never forget

Heros that we will never forget

Terrorists that we would like to forget

Family who will forever be in our hearts…

It was a day that we held the ones around us just a little bit tighter.. because we could.

this was a day that everyone remembers where they were.. what they were doing and who they were with.

here’s my story…

It was a beautiful Monday morning. The kids had recently gone back to school. I was a cosmetologist with some wonderful clients and I would often go out of my way to accomodate their schedules.

Back in the the the Beauty industry really didn’t work on Monday. They just didn’t.

One of my favorite clients ( they all were, really ) was Mrs. M. That’s what everyone called her.. never by her last name. She was from new Jersey and had a summer home in Chatham, on cape cod.  She was a fabulous cook and we got along perfectly despite that fact that she could have been my grandmother.

(on another note.. she was a hot spook…. she helped set my kitchen up with everything form an ice cream maker to food processor because she was mad at her husband.. I’ll share that story another time )

So I had met her at the salon for a 9 am appt. It was just the two of us.  I didn’t bother to turn on the radio because she didn’t like music… and we would be doing what we always do.. I would be doing her nails & we would be talking food.

Which we did.  For over an hour.

We left the salon together around 10:20 am.

I went to the grocery store, and remember thinking how happy I was.. It was fall, my favorite time of year, I had a great job, happy kids who were busy in a cute school house being educated and I had a beautiful kitchen to cook in and the afternoon to do just that. I left the salon and went to the grocery store.

And stood at the deli and ordered turkey breast.

A man was standing next to me & I turned to him and said ‘” isn’t this nice to not have to wait in line now that the tourists are gone? I’ve missed turkey.”

( if you live on the cape or visit the cape you know that the in the summer the stores are CRAZY to navigate  and the deli line is simply ridiculous.. Everyone wants to buy deli meat to make sandwiches for the beach.. it’s common to wait in line for up to 45 minutes… or just go a summer without deli meat, like I had )

He looked at me blankly and said ‘ ” how can you say that after what just happened… all those poor people”

Now I was really confused because I still had not known.

He said, ” the world trade center was attacked.. planes flew into.. many people died”

The blood went from my face and I left the store, leaving my cart behind.

You see, Scott worked in Boston. a few blocks from the world Trade Center and his company actually had meetings there often.

I quickly drove home ( I lived close) and saw the answering machine blinking.

First message was from my mom ‘ “is Scott ok?”

Second message was from my mother -in -law ” have you heard from Scott?”

Third message… the kids’ school ‘” due the the tragedies of today we are releasing the kids to be dismissed”

I tired calling Scott’s office and did not get an answer.

57 times.

This was before cell phones so I only had the one number.

Sick to my stomach and worried how I was going to raise my kids on my own I sat on the couch and finally turned on the Tv.

It was only then that I realized that it was the World Trade Center in  NYC, not in Boston.

I felt relief, then sadness.. I could not believe what I was seeing.

All of those people, all of those families..

I never did hear from Scott. And I kept worrying about that because at that point, America didn’t know what was next .. it was surreal.

He arrived home almost 3 hours later. HIs company sent everyone home as a safety precaution.. and he never thought to call me to let me know.

he was home safe, but I still kept thinking about all of those people who weren’t so lucky… all of those familes.. lives changed in an instant.

I hugged my kids so tight that day.

A new new generation of Military was born that day… Kids in middle school who quickly learned that they loved their  country and that they would fight to defend it… Years later, I’m proud to say that both my son & nephew were two of those kids.

We all know that sadness and empathy that  came in the days to come. I know this anniversary affects some more than others, so if my thoughts and prayers go out to you if you or your family were directly involved.

I’m off to play with some watermelon, but I felt like I needed to acknowledge this day and share my story…..

what’s your story?

I’ll be back later on