At around 13:46 on Tuesday September 11th 2001, I was at work in SAGA Services as a Customer Services advisor. I had been taking calls and then for some reason the amount of calls waiting just dropped for about 30 to 5 then to nothing. I was happy as it meant that I could chat to Rosie who sat over from me. Lovely lady, in her late fifties, but never a bad word to say to anyone. Then I got a call, I did my usual yada yada about who they had called and what my name was, and the woman on the other end said to me “have you seen the news?” This took me aback, and I said “sorry? No, we only have the TV on here if there is something of major importance” She said to me that there had been an attack in America and that the trade centre was gone, it was all over the news. I said to her that I was going to pop her on hold as our hold music was SAGA radio. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Rosie asked me if I was alright as “you look like you seen a ghost love.” I just yelled to my team manager, Mark, to listen to the news. He glared at me for doing what I wasn’t supposed to, which was yell across the banks. He shook his head and listened in to my call. His head shot up, and he threw his headpiece on the table and headed towards the TV, but one of the other team managers beat him to it, and the sight that I saw was nothing short of horrific. Seeing the tower on fire. Seeing people leaping from the windows, then seeing the other plane hit was … well, there is nothing I can say to explain what I saw.
Ten years on and I can still recall vividly what I was seeing. It is a sight that will never leave me. I am an agnostic, and it is at times like that which make me wonder how there can be an omnipotent god who will throw away almost three thousands lives. My heart goes out to the families and friends of the people who lost their lives in the attacks. The bravery of the people who tried to help out. How the rich rubbed shoulders with the poor to try to save as many people as they could. The acts of bravery are too numerous to mention, but they will always be remembered.
The world WILL NOT GIVE IN TO TERROR!
This post does not convey what I try to say, as I can not put into words what I see in my mind, but it goes a little way.
