Well, our class went about our morning going from subject to subject. I'm not very well aware of the time. but I am suspecting at around 10:45 my teacher got a note. One of the teacher assistants came up and handed it to her. I was still unaware of the notes contents, but it must have said that one plane had hit the World Trade Center, then a second plane hit the other building; a suspected terrorist attack. I watched as my teacher's eyes suddenly got so big, and she took a very deep breath. I'm not sure what my expression was like, but the kids in the desks near her all looked at her and asked what was the matter. She just looked up at the teacher who had just read the same thing. They both looked so stunned, but didn't say anything to us at all.
We went into a lock down at about 12: 00 noon (I remember because it was right after lunch). No one could get in, no one could go out. But they did have to man the doors because some parents came and picked up their kids early. They couldn't stop that, of course. I remember we hardly had any students left in the building that day. Looking back, I didn't really understand what happened. I can understand that now though.
I remember that at the end of the day, the principal made an announcement to the kids, saying that when they go home they will see and hear some things in the news. She told them to go straight home, but not to worry about what they hear, because they are safe, and it didn't happen here in North Carolina. Many of our students would have to go home to an empty house; she just wanted them to know they would be okay.
When my parents finally told me, I must say that my first reaction was more of an "Oh, darn it" moment. Like it was bad, but it wasn't that big of a deal. But today it is different. I realize better what really went down that day, and it stirs up emotions that I can't even describe other than to say that they are not good at all.
Looking back to that night, I can remember how I should have felt. Since I lived near an airport, I was accustomed to seeing planes in the sky almost all the time. But this night, the sky was empty. Way high in the sky I remember seeing a single plane, and right now the feeling is so eerie, because I now know it could only be a military jet, for nothing else was allowed in the sky.
The next day at school, the kids were all very upset with the teachers because they couldn't tell them what happened. They felt they should have been told. I agree with them in a way, but it would have upset us greatly, and moreover scared the crap out of us. In the days to follow I would hear from different kids that they had relatives, friends, or just knew of someone who had been on one of the planes or in the twin towers.
It's surely something none of should, or can ever forget. It was an attack on our country, it was an attack against each and everyone of us.
P.S. - I really should have posted this five days ago. My apologies.
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