Remembering September 11th
On my way to work, 10 years ago on Tuesday, September 11, 2001 walking almost 10 blocks from Port Authority to where I used to teach: Graphic Communication Art High School, located on 49th Street and 9th Ave, I felt a cold chill on my neck as if something had happened. I did not have to go early to work on that ill fated day. I arrived and did not feel anything out of the ordinary until I heard how the first tower had been struck.
The remaining hours were spent "pretending" in front of students, that nothing had happened. I did not rest until late afternoon for I had to help students contact their parents and did not leave until each and every student had been picked up by a parent or guardian. Nothing was discussed with another teacher for we all feared to know what had truly taken place.
My heart was aching not just due to this horrible tragedy, but I had not been able to contact my then 19 year old son who was attending Pace University and taking courses at the College of Insurance, located right next to the Towers. Don't even recall if I said goodbye to him or rushed him to get up as he had the habit of over sleeping when it came to going to school. Didn't even know how I was going to make it back home to Bayonne, New Jersey for there seem not be a way to get there.
Everything was so surreal, as I finally exited the school sometime after 4:00PM, I headed to Azteca's, the place I used to go to relax after a very hectic day with my students. More so on that day I needed to quench my fears and to be in a place where I could figure out how to make it home and deal with the scare of not knowing if my son was in the rubble of the then destroyed Towers for he would spend eternal hours inside them when he was on his way to the university.
Cellphones, remember, did not work as the antenna at the Tower had been destroyed as well. I walked aimlessly all the way to 34th Street from 52nd Street, all I remember while walking was the deafening sound of ambulance sirens. Till this day, I am unable to hear them for it reminds me of 9-11. how did I get home? All I remember [again] was that I was on a boat headed for New Jersey as the Path was not taking anyone through the tunnel.It was then that I got the chance to see the burning smoke where once the Towers stood, now consumed in an engulfing fire. I somehow made it home rang the bell and my son opened the door. He had overslept again and had missed classes : )
