My husband and I had taken a wonderful trip out west. We visited Arizona, Montana, and New Mexico.
We were ending our trip and had booked a hotel room near the airport as we had a morning flight. We arrived at the airport and noticed people weren’t bustling around. They were gathered around televisions throughout the airport.
We joined one of the crowds to see what the commotion was all about. We asked someone what had happened. They said that a plane had run into one the Twin Towers in New York City. We talked with a few people and were planning on heading to our gate when people started shouting, “Another plan has run into the other tower!”
It was just minutes after that, the announcement was made that New York had been hit by terrorists and we had to evacuate immediately.
Remember, we had no place to go. We had already checked out.
But my husband, being the smart and resourceful person he is, he immediately called the hotel and checked us back in. We were there for three more days. We met a lot of people who were also stranded. It was a time of bonding with strangers. We tried to rent a car but the car rentals were gouging people.
We tried to rent a car but the car rentals were gouging people. Again, my husband being the resourceful person he is and not to be missed with, got the name of some “higher-ups” and threatened to cancel their contract with the company he worked for then. Technically, he had no real authority to threaten them but they didn’t know that. It worked. We got our rental and headed home.
The drive home took about three days and it was really something. Almost every highway overpass had an American flag handing down. A time of remembrance was announced and when the time came we stopped at a rest stop and everyone who was there observed these moments. No one said a word, and there wasn’t a dry eye anywhere. People got into their cars and quietly pulled out.
It was a somber trip home but what an inspiring one as towns displayed their flags and everywhere you stopped, people weren’t afraid to show their tears. It was such a time of “coming together” as Americans.
I remember that and I feel so sad when I see all the bickering on TV, FB, Twitter, etc. now and remember how we came together then.
Why does it always have to be a tragedy?
Why can’t we behave this way?
I’m afraid I have no answers. Just a memory of a time when we all knew we were in this together.
God bless.
