Three years ago: September 11, 2001

I was driving myself and my wife into downtown Seattle, WA, heading north on Interstate 5. We turned on the radio, and heard the tail end of some disturbing news. We had to wait a few minutes for the announcer to repeat himself.

I will forever remember that as I learned that New York and Washington D.C. had been attacked, I was looking directly at the Columbia Tower, the tallest skyscraper in Washington State - and driving toward it at 45 miles per hour.

I looked at my wife, my hands shaking on the wheel, and repeatedly said "We're going to war."

After dropping her off, I parked the car and walked to my building, which had a nice view of another, even more famous landmark: the Space Needle. Once I got in, rumors flew. My manager, normally a well-mannered man (and maybe even during this episode, which truly makes him an idiot) said that a dozen planes were unaccounted for. He "heard it from his brother, who is a United pilot."

Some moron turned on his radio very loudly, which by the afternoon was simply recycling news. I had to ask him to turn it down.

My employer allowed anyone who was concerned to go home, with pay, even though the business would remain open (one of the few nice things they ever did for us). A few did, including a contractor in my department very nervous about our proximity to the Needle.

I remember wondering over the next few days, what I would feel on the anniversary of this attack. It's now three years from that date. This weblog is one result.

I will never forget.

In Memoriam: September 11, 2001


Written by Andrew Ittner in misc on Sat 11 September 2004. Tags: commentary