Cathy H

Everyone has a memory of 9/11. I have mine too; but today I have been very nostalgic for some reason. I was in NY City on vacation; I had just arrived the night before and a friend of mine flew in from Chicago. We were going to have 3 days of theater, food and girl time. When everything happened that morning, my Mom was frantic to get ahold of me of course, but couldn't because all the cell lines were down. But what made this day worse, was that my Dad had been rushed to the hospital that morning as well, for what we would later find out was cancer. My friend and I were finally allowed to leave the hotel that afternoon and we did what most people did who were left in the city, we walked downtown. We wanted, no we needed, to be close. To other people, to what had happened, to hear someone's story. We got as far as St. Patrick's Cathedral and stopped, because all we could see was smoke, and we knew we shouldn't go further. We went inside and lit a candle and said a prayer. The city was eerily quiet, with the exception of sirens. We walked down the middle of the streets, aimlessly. The city was in lockdown; so there was no car traffic, not even taxis, and really very few people walking around. Everyone looking lost as to what to do, everyone looking southward. We were able to find a restaurant that was open that night for dinner and had the unique and unexpected pleasure of sitting next to Tom Selleck, who was on Broadway at the time. We chatted, but really ate in silence. What do you say? We weren't allowed to drive out until Thursday and my friend had to drive out with me since no planes were flying yet. I was glad to have someone in the car with me. I was only one of a few cars even on the road, still. We got stopped once to be checked, as we were leaving. I had to drive north to take the George Washington Memorial Bridge out as the Lincoln Memorial Tunnel was still closed. I remember us looking back across the river at smoke of the Twin Towers, neither of us thinking to stop or even take a picture. I don't think you need one of a site like that. We drove back to Maryland in near silence. Me thankful to get home, my friend scared to death about getting back on a plane eventually. Remembering 9/11 on this day. Saying prayers for all those lives lost.