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ballabosh

(330 posts)

171. I was on my way to work on the El in Chicago

Sat Sep 12, 2015, 12:01 AM

Sep 2015

Didn't have a clue that anything had happened (head in book, earphones on) until I got to work. In the elevator going up a secretary was telling an attorney how two planes had hit the WTC and one hit the Pentagon. I thought she was batty. Got to my office and had three voicemails from my wife. Called here and she told me what happened. Couldn't get on any news websites. Heard the rumors that a plane was headed towards the Sears Tower. Got a call from my sister who worked near federal plaza. She was panicking. They were telling her to go home. Around 11, they told us we could go home if we felt unsafe. My building is not important and not near any important buildings so I didn't feel the need. After a half hour, my office was deserted. Ok, I'm going home too. Went outside. The Loop is a ghost town. Got home. Held my 5-month old baby and told my wife, "I'm glad she's not older and asking me to explain why this is happening, because there is no explanation why this is happening." Then cried.

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Where exactly were you 14 years ago when you learned of the events of 9-11 ? [View all] steve2470 Sep 2015 OP

I was eating breakfast before work watching CNN Headline News. The camera was on the first tower neverforget Sep 2015 #1

Eating breakfast. My daughter called me up and told me to turn on the TV. n/t Binkie The Clown Sep 2015 #182

I was off from work, and watching tv Hydra Sep 2015 #2

I was quite worried and anxious that they would take us to war lunatica Sep 2015 #147

I woke up after the first tower was struck and before the second. I sleep with the TV on and ChisolmTrailDem Sep 2015 #3

I know exactly what you are talking about, CTD thecrow Sep 2015 #9

... LiberalElite Sep 2015 #65

I still go with incompetence or indifference. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Sep 2015 #81

+1 daleanime Sep 2015 #107

Yep. LIHOP. hifiguy Sep 2015 #148

At work Chitown Kev Sep 2015 #4

Just walked into work irisblue Sep 2015 #5

I was at home. LWolf Sep 2015 #6

I was on crutches iwillalwayswonderwhy Sep 2015 #7

I was home alone. Had CNN on, thecrow Sep 2015 #8

Being on the west coast ChazII Sep 2015 #12

I was with my son in ICU Quackers Sep 2015 #10

...... steve2470 Sep 2015 #13

Thank you Quackers Sep 2015 #14

... irisblue Sep 2015 #15

Thank you, Iris Quackers Sep 2015 #16

. Chitown Kev Sep 2015 #25

... Quackers Sep 2015 #161

I am so sorry renate Sep 2015 #42

Thank you Quackers Sep 2015 #162

So sorry for your loss Bettie Sep 2015 #94

Thank you Quackers Sep 2015 #164

It does change you so much Bettie Sep 2015 #172

........ LongTomH Sep 2015 #108

.... Quackers Sep 2015 #165

I'm so sorry. yardwork Sep 2015 #128

.... Quackers Sep 2015 #166

... magical thyme Sep 2015 #144

... Quackers Sep 2015 #167

Losing a child is terrible lunatica Sep 2015 #151

I'm sorry for your loss Quackers Sep 2015 #168

In a strange way and perhaps it makes no sense lunatica Sep 2015 #174

I am so sorry, Quackers. Sissyk Sep 2015 #163

Thank you Quackers Sep 2015 #169

Getting ready for work while watching the Today show. cwydro Sep 2015 #10

I was in Manhattan, watching The Today Show and waiting for my father who was flying in GreatGazoo Sep 2015 #85

Yikes. I was in the car driving to work by the time the first one went down. cwydro Sep 2015 #98

I was wondering about that treestar Sep 2015 #102

they didn't tell my father's plane why they were rerouted GreatGazoo Sep 2015 #110

In the my office of my small publishing company Kelvin Mace Sep 2015 #17

Just getting up. madamesilverspurs Sep 2015 #18

At work in downtown DC MiniMe Sep 2015 #19

I was working in DC also Samantha Sep 2015 #32

I never heard that the White House had been hit, we heard the State Department had been hit MiniMe Sep 2015 #35

I worked in the DC area at that time. One of the rumors was that the Mall was on fire Mike Daniels Sep 2015 #90

I woke up from a dream I had about a friend who lived in Arlington VA XemaSab Sep 2015 #20

I had just gotten in to work in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. smirkymonkey Sep 2015 #21

___________________[] [] ____________________ MFM008 Sep 2015 #22

........ steve2470 Sep 2015 #23

I'm sorry about your father irisblue Sep 2015 #24

........ LongTomH Sep 2015 #109

Working, and my wife called me. Agnosticsherbet Sep 2015 #26

My wife had just left me, and she had the kids that week. PatrickforO Sep 2015 #27

I was alone with a stunned 8 year old. That might have been even worse. pnwmom Sep 2015 #47

Very near the Pentagon. nt MADem Sep 2015 #28

wow, that must have been an exceptionally crazy day for you then! nt steve2470 Sep 2015 #29

It was pretty awful. I'll never forget it as long as I live. nt MADem Sep 2015 #30

+100 nitpicker Sep 2015 #66

Oh, hey. I was in the Navy Annex that day. Recursion Sep 2015 #73

This thread makes me feel so young... pinstikfartherin Sep 2015 #31

9-11 changed the country, in not very good ways steve2470 Sep 2015 #33

I sure hope we can. pinstikfartherin Sep 2015 #38

I was at my desk at work. ohheckyeah Sep 2015 #34

going to sleep after a party, somewhere around 6 or 7 am PST. NuttyFluffers Sep 2015 #36

In bed asleep. Blue_In_AK Sep 2015 #37

At work, in Rotterdam. Mid afternoon, Dutch time. SwissTony Sep 2015 #39

I worked nights at the time... in L.A. IcyPeas Sep 2015 #40

The weather that morning was stunning jberryhill Sep 2015 #41

I was about to leave for work and never look at TV, but that morning akbacchus_BC Sep 2015 #43

steve2470 Diclotican Sep 2015 #44

I'm in the Pacific time zone, so I was home in the basement, pnwmom Sep 2015 #45

Do I have to say??? yuiyoshida Sep 2015 #46

sorry your adolescence got marred by that horrible event! steve2470 Sep 2015 #48

I was too young to undestand it.. yuiyoshida Sep 2015 #50

I was alone in a small office with no phone or internet connection CJCRANE Sep 2015 #49

Driving across the woodrow wilson bridge in DC to work peacebird Sep 2015 #51

Waiting for my ride to the --wait for it--airport for my flight to--wait for it--Boston. merrily Sep 2015 #52

I was already sitting at Hartsfield waiting on a delayed flight back to Lexington KY. KentuckyWoman Sep 2015 #53

Boston was different. The terrorists had flown from there. The airport did not re-open for days. merrily Sep 2015 #56

Better than flying out of Boston that day. jwirr Sep 2015 #138

True enough merrily Sep 2015 #141

Sitting at my desk working. CincyDem Sep 2015 #54

yes, Bush and Cheney totally squandered it steve2470 Sep 2015 #55

On vacation in Sedona, AZ with wife and two friends. longship Sep 2015 #57

At home getting me and my family fadedrose Sep 2015 #58

What a dumb question pintobean Sep 2015 #59

um... we can multi-task, right ? steve2470 Sep 2015 #60

You're asking DUers to post personal information. pintobean Sep 2015 #61

Living in California and lying in bed with a migraine headache. livetohike Sep 2015 #62

I had just come off a 12 hour shift as a patrol deputy Lee-Lee Sep 2015 #63

Waking up in my apartment in NYC, drinking coffee, Dorian Gray Sep 2015 #64

I had CNBC running in the background at home in Chapel Hill, getting ready mnhtnbb Sep 2015 #67

in NYC on my way to work - LiberalElite Sep 2015 #68

In a college class bigwillq Sep 2015 #69

Driving through the gates at a secured govt facility, listening to Howard Stern NightWatcher Sep 2015 #70

About half a mile from the Pentagon in an office Recursion Sep 2015 #71

you and MADem had a very crazy day :/ nt steve2470 Sep 2015 #72

I was in a weekly team meeting at work deutsey Sep 2015 #74

Lower Manhattan alcibiades_mystery Sep 2015 #75

very crazy day for you too nt steve2470 Sep 2015 #76

Was an electric utility lineman at the time. Jappleseed Sep 2015 #77

Working at Boeing in St. Louis. randome Sep 2015 #78

At the office where I was working. They had a TV downstairs in a lounge area for the patients Erich Bloodaxe BSN Sep 2015 #79

Working mcar Sep 2015 #80

I was in bed in Portland Oregon sound asleep davidpdx Sep 2015 #82

At home in NJ, drinking coffee, watching The Today Show, on the phone with my SIL. no_hypocrisy Sep 2015 #83

Getting ready to teach a class. Saw it on TV (going to show a video). Principal told us to ignore it WinkyDink Sep 2015 #84

Right where I am now - sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee tularetom Sep 2015 #86

I had just put my children on the school bus Danmel Sep 2015 #87

It was early morning in San Francisco, and I was packing to move into my first house on the 12th ... Auggie Sep 2015 #88

At work. My first instinct when I heard about the first tower being hit Mike Daniels Sep 2015 #89

75 Wall Street in NYC. n/t madinmaryland Sep 2015 #91

I was working at a school in Sterling, VA, right near Dulles Airport. phylny Sep 2015 #92

I was asleep mainstreetonce Sep 2015 #95

{hug} nt phylny Sep 2015 #116

My six month old son and I were in a hotel room in Orlando Bettie Sep 2015 #93

at work here in New Haven. stunned. CTyankee Sep 2015 #96

Working for a financial institution in Boston. edbermac Sep 2015 #97

My 15-year-old daughter refused to go to school Freddie Sep 2015 #99

I work at home and don't have the TV on. Tracer Sep 2015 #100

Strangely when I got home from work that night treestar Sep 2015 #101

I was a freshman at the University of Connecticut. Act_of_Reparation Sep 2015 #103

I was at work at Langley AFB� MrScorpio Sep 2015 #104

Back in the day when we watched the Today Show before work Trajan Sep 2015 #105

In my car, approaching the Lincoln Tunnel when the first plane hit. Glassunion Sep 2015 #106

on the Major Deegan heading to work, stuck in traffic dorkzilla Sep 2015 #111

My wife and I were watching CNN with my morning coffee. MineralMan Sep 2015 #112

Was on the car Xyzse Sep 2015 #113

In my office in the Federal Building in downtown Denver. CanonRay Sep 2015 #114

On a cruise ship Lonusca Sep 2015 #115

At the gym on a treadmill Shrek Sep 2015 #117

At The Airport ProfessorGAC Sep 2015 #118

I had just arrived at work and was in the parking lot ailsagirl Sep 2015 #119

Mowing the lawn kydo Sep 2015 #120

Upon waking with a hangover hearing my answering machine Populist_Prole Sep 2015 #121

At work, oblivious ... JustABozoOnThisBus Sep 2015 #122

I was exactly where I am now: working at SF International Airport pink-o Sep 2015 #123

10th grade american history class Islandurp Sep 2015 #124

I was on a camping/trout fishing trip at Razor State Park on the Skagit River in Washington State. PearliePoo2 Sep 2015 #125

heres mine retrowire Sep 2015 #126

Took my daily walk up to a local gas station Bluzmann57 Sep 2015 #127

Downtown Honolulu KamaAina Sep 2015 #129

Read about the first plane hitting leftynyc Sep 2015 #130

In the car on the way to downtown DC with my husband; elleng Sep 2015 #131

Was walking out the door to be the bus aide on a bus jwirr Sep 2015 #132

I was home when my 840high Sep 2015 #133

Vacationing in Yellowstone RobinA Sep 2015 #134

About a mile from the Pentagon, driving toward DC near National Airport. Traffic rapidly slowed leveymg Sep 2015 #135

At work RebelOne Sep 2015 #136

Typing a psychological report on my home computer while the t.v. was on. MoonRiver Sep 2015 #137

At my desk in the main room of the office. Listening to NPR the entire morning LanternWaste Sep 2015 #139

sorta odd how we all remember hfojvt Sep 2015 #140

Right after I awoke and made breakfast. AtomicKitten Sep 2015 #142

I had just arrived at work and was walking up the stairs to our suite magical thyme Sep 2015 #143

On an AOL message board From The Left. Scurrilous Sep 2015 #145

Driving to my job in downtown Minneapolis. hifiguy Sep 2015 #146

In California my clock radio woke me up with the words lunatica Sep 2015 #149

At home, in my bathroom, listening to NPR LongTomH Sep 2015 #150

In Florida Aerows Sep 2015 #152

working....Sun Microsystems, 25th floor WTC2 frankieallen Sep 2015 #153

I want to sincerely thank everyone who have written in this thread.... steve2470 Sep 2015 #154

At State Motor Pool picking up a car to drive to the Southern Oregon coast for court. Shrike47 Sep 2015 #155

The cabbie we'd called to take us to the airport told us... Ino Sep 2015 #156

Just waking up in New Mexico, the radio alarm had woken me up....as a Jersey Girl, Gloria Sep 2015 #157

In bed in California Sen. Walter Sobchak Sep 2015 #158

you're an honest man :) nt steve2470 Sep 2015 #159

Was getting ready for work. Turned on CNN as per usual. Saw a small plane at gone into WTC. Called applegrove Sep 2015 #160

Was returning to my desk in a skyscraper, after delightful conversation as a new mom lostnfound Sep 2015 #170

I was on my way to work on the El in Chicago ballabosh Sep 2015 #171

I had just woken up Jason Huh Sep 2015 #173

I had just got into my car to go to work, Aristus Sep 2015 #175

Having accupuncture at a VA hospital a little north of NYC on the Huson River. madamvlb Sep 2015 #176

It ceased to matter on 8/26/2007. Sorry. ScreamingMeemie Sep 2015 #177

? explain please steve2470 Sep 2015 #179

... ScreamingMeemie Sep 2015 #183

ok my sympathies and sincere condolences to you steve2470 Sep 2015 #184

Just finished watching a movie Duckhunter935 Sep 2015 #178

School. 8th grade IVoteDFL Sep 2015 #180

O'Hare airport.... dhill926 Sep 2015 #181

I was living in Oregon in 2001, and I had formerly been in the habit Lydia Leftcoast Sep 2015 #185

In Sprout City DFW Sep 2015 #186

Watching after the first plane was thought an accident, then U4ikLefty Sep 2015 #187

I came out of a meeting in Atlanta... BooScout Sep 2015 #188

I was in the computer room at work... LeftishBrit Sep 2015 #189