The Other Archives - 9/11/01

Yes, I did know. Thanks for asking:

September 11, 2001
2:54 pm

I don't know where to start.

I have never lived in a city with a major newspaper, but even if I had I don't know if there have been many Extras printed recently. Yet, as I rode the 16A through downtown, I witnessed several vendors offering papers with the largest banner headline I have ever seen: "TERROR!"

Businesses downtown were closed for the most part. Those that weren't yet closed consisted of simple coffee shops or other novelty shops. The IDS tower was closed; I walked right by it on the Nicollet Mall. As I walked east at the southern end of the Mall a man nearly my age startled me (was looking the other way) and remarked, "I think it's international 'Fuck You America' day!" in a too smug tone of voice. He was wearing black and had a walking stick. I should have planted that walking stick up his smug ass.

When several of us entered the student lounge after class around 9:30 and heard the news - partly from other students in the lounge and partly over the phone by a student's husband. The internet news sites were jammed; we decided to head to bars nearby and watch their televisions.

The second after I saw the footage of the World Trade Center towers falling, I felt like I could never watch it again. I continued to be played, however, and I saw it a handful of times on CNN, NBC, CBS - all on Sally's televisions that usually feature football or baseball, in a bar that opened its doors for people like us, people that felt compelled to get information, although if they were anything like me the only reason they stayed glued to the sets was because they didn't know what else to do. After about an hour we headed back to the student lounge. Classes after noon were cancelled.

This was a day of long stares. I have never seen people huddled around TVs on street corners. I have never seen anything like this. I am coming to terms with the fact that this day will be a bookmark in history. This stupid fucking Tuesday, the 11th of fucking September; its only significance was supposed to be the release of Ben Folds new album. This stupid fucking Tuesday that I'll be dealing with for too long.