Today.

by Kittyinaz | Sep 11, 2012 | Update

Today marks the 11th anniversary of the attacks on the US.  Many people ask others, do they remember where they were on that fateful day?

My answer to that question is kinda.  At the time, I was dirt poor, and my only access to outside the house was a phone, unless I went to work.  That year in particular I had just started to deal with my illness, and was going through alot of pain, that I now know that most of it was due to a misdiagnosis.  That particular day was one of my bad ones so I stayed in bed.

My hubby, who was just my boyfriend, came home that night, yelling and throwing a newspaper at me.  I had no idea what was going on.  I sat up and read the newspaper and froze as I realized what had happened.

To make it understandable, I will let you know who I worked for in those days.  I worked for American Airlines.  I was a Senior International Aadvantage booker that was often passed problem calls and overflow for the Platinum Aadvantage lines.  I had just moved back to Tucson, but had worked in Dallas and trained there.  Because of all of this, like I stated, I handled trouble bookings and/or was the person who called and let you know your flight has been delayed/cancelled.  Since I could handle these calls calmly and even had been used to train others in handling stressful calls, I thought nothing of taking a call one day.

I remember this call because this woman was upset that she was taking her son to New York for college and needed to fly back.  The only day available was 9/11.  She told me directly that she had an uneasy feeling about the day.  I told her that the only flight I could get her on to Los Angeles was a morning flight.  I searched for other flights but unable to find her one, I talked her into the flight.  I have no idea what her name is to this day, and frankly no matter how bad that makes me sound, I never want to know her name since I may find that she was one of the ones who were on that flight.  I had given her options of standing by for another flight and gave her the best odds for doing it.  As I had flown standby often and was quite good at it, to the point I often got First Class.  Since I had done all this, and advised her that there was no penalty if she decided to change the flight, I have great hopes that she was not on that flight.

On 9/11/01 at 11:52 pm MST, this all ran through my head.  I could do nothing, could tell no one anything of what was going through my mind.  The next day I drove to my inlaws, and sat there in front of the tv for the next couple of days watching everything.  Never saying anything because I would break down crying.  I have no idea who realized why I couldn’t say anything, or if I finally said anything.  I have no clear memory of the days following that.

When I finally went back to work, the same day, I put someone on the flight in Newark, that crashed.  That was it.  I could no longer stand it.  I quit, only to be informed I was in the group of people who was being let go because of the hit the airlines were taking.

9/11 will always be a day I will never forget.  I had family in the armed forces that went to defend and avenge those people who died.  They have served their country and one went back to serve further.  I am so very proud of them, and also am proud of the firefighters both sides of my family have.

I just had to put this all out here for you guys to understand at least one view of the tragedy.  I have heard people tell me it was a gimmick, and the rest of the BS that has been heard by others.  I have heard people go, 9/11?? So I decided to say my little bit and bring some personalization to you of some of the people who dealt with that day.  Because as I sit here and write to you, tears are falling down my face as I remember 9/11.

Wendy

p.s. The chapter for In The End was posted last night and you can read it.  I will post the chapter announcing it as well as the Fanfiction site getting it’s update tomorrow.  For now, I am going to remember.