Written Stories:
1. "I was a logistics supervisor at a Kmart distribution center in Forest Park, sitting at my desk when my wife called and asked me if I had heard what happened. I had not.
I informed my boss who informed his boss and the three of us went to the satellite TV in our conference room. The connection was not the best and we began to make out that one of the buildings seemed completely shrouded in smoke. The big boss asked out loud, "Why does that building look like that?"
I will never forget when, a few seconds later, it dawned on me- "It's because that tower is not there anymore."
We watched until the the second tower collapsed.
That day, my boss and I had a lunch meeting with an import vendor, a very old man named Lamar. Lamar was something of a legend in his field and we were his only account. We ate lunch at Applebee's and, of course, all the TVs were showing live footage of the aftermath. Lamar shook his head and said,
"This is just like when Pearl Harbor was bombed."
I asked if he would tell us about that day. Lamar was a 30-something year old shoe salesman in Atlanta on December 7th, 1941. His memory was how of everyone sought out any radio they could find to hear the news and get information- much like we were already doing and would continue doing in the days after 9/11.
The next day, we had a meeting at work around the flagpole and the big boss' secretary handed out small US flags for us to have.
I still have that flag, sitting in my pencil holder on my desk almost 20 years and three jobs later."
- Russell W.
I informed my boss who informed his boss and the three of us went to the satellite TV in our conference room. The connection was not the best and we began to make out that one of the buildings seemed completely shrouded in smoke. The big boss asked out loud, "Why does that building look like that?"
I will never forget when, a few seconds later, it dawned on me- "It's because that tower is not there anymore."
We watched until the the second tower collapsed.
That day, my boss and I had a lunch meeting with an import vendor, a very old man named Lamar. Lamar was something of a legend in his field and we were his only account. We ate lunch at Applebee's and, of course, all the TVs were showing live footage of the aftermath. Lamar shook his head and said,
"This is just like when Pearl Harbor was bombed."
I asked if he would tell us about that day. Lamar was a 30-something year old shoe salesman in Atlanta on December 7th, 1941. His memory was how of everyone sought out any radio they could find to hear the news and get information- much like we were already doing and would continue doing in the days after 9/11.
The next day, we had a meeting at work around the flagpole and the big boss' secretary handed out small US flags for us to have.
I still have that flag, sitting in my pencil holder on my desk almost 20 years and three jobs later."
- Russell W.
2. "I was running late to go to a computer class at University of Georgia and had the Today Show on. They interrupted the broadcast after the first plane hit then I watched the second plane hit live. The anchors were all stricken in disbelief.
For some reason I drove to class anyway. On my way there I turned on the radio and listened as the first tower fell. I was like 45 min late when I got to class. I walked in and said:
“Two planes have just hit the World Trade Center and one of the towers has fallen”.
I sat there, totally ashen, waiting on a reaction that I never got. They went back to working, it was surreal.
Their world hadn’t changed because they hadn’t seen it on TV yet. For the rest of that class, I was the only one living in a post-911 world."
- Reddit user /u/Fart_Summoner
For some reason I drove to class anyway. On my way there I turned on the radio and listened as the first tower fell. I was like 45 min late when I got to class. I walked in and said:
“Two planes have just hit the World Trade Center and one of the towers has fallen”.
I sat there, totally ashen, waiting on a reaction that I never got. They went back to working, it was surreal.
Their world hadn’t changed because they hadn’t seen it on TV yet. For the rest of that class, I was the only one living in a post-911 world."
- Reddit user /u/Fart_Summoner
3. "I worked nights in Marietta, GA so I usually slept until noon and I'm also not a morning person. That morning the phone rings. I ignore it- It rings again... and again. Finally I roll over and answer:
'Hello?'
'Dude, wake up!'
It's one of my friends,
'F*ck you.'
'No, seriously. Wake the f*ck up. We've been attacked by terrorists.'
'Whatever dude. I'm going back to sleep.'
'Wake the f*ck up and turn on the TV now!'
So I grabbed the remote...
'What channel?'
'ANY CHANNEL!! IT'S ON EVERY FUCKING CHANNEL!!'
... and turn on the TV.
'Holy shit... I need to call my girlfriend and let her know. I'm sure she's still asleep.'
My eyes were glued to that TV for the rest of the day."
- Reddit user /u/72scott72
'Hello?'
'Dude, wake up!'
It's one of my friends,
'F*ck you.'
'No, seriously. Wake the f*ck up. We've been attacked by terrorists.'
'Whatever dude. I'm going back to sleep.'
'Wake the f*ck up and turn on the TV now!'
So I grabbed the remote...
'What channel?'
'ANY CHANNEL!! IT'S ON EVERY FUCKING CHANNEL!!'
... and turn on the TV.
'Holy shit... I need to call my girlfriend and let her know. I'm sure she's still asleep.'
My eyes were glued to that TV for the rest of the day."
- Reddit user /u/72scott72