General Board

Going into the city

Posted By: Barbi (24.188.219.132)
Date: Thursday, 12 September 2002, at 2:28 p.m.

I went into Manhattan yesterday to join with others for the day of commemoration. It was quite surreal. There were so many moments of "one year ago at this exact time I was _______" or "At this time ________ was happening."

I had restructured the day from my original plans, realizing that even getting close to Ground Zero would be maddening, I went right to Point Thank-You instead (at the corner of West Side Highway and Christopher Street). I made a few laps and finally a parking space opened so I had achieved one of my first goals which was to not pay for parking. And I was only two blocks from PTY.

At Point Thank You there was a great reunion of all the regulars. About 25-30 people. It was as it always has been in the last year. We stand there and wave our "thank-you" signs and flags. The cops, firemen, con-ed, sanitation, and all the others that were regulars at Ground Zero honk their horns, flash their lights and blow their sirens at us. Some even stopped to visit and say hello and thanks.

Of course Carol was there. We'd talked the evening before and shared itineraries so that we could link up eventually. She looks great and as usual we enjoyed our time together.

After the name ceremony was over the cars and buses from Ground Zero began coming by. I was a little surprised by the response from the buses of families. They waved almost frantically as they went by. I guess I'd expected them to be not at all interested in our presence.

A policeman in full dress pulled over, jumped out of his car and ran over and handed Carol, myself, and another gal NYPD caps. We thought we were so cool since he'd somehow chosen us to get the only three caps he had. Later we realized his goal may have been that we were the most windblown. LOL Oh well, I have an official NYPD cap! Who cares if I looked like a mess!

Carol and I and another gal who is also named Barbara went up to September Space around 1:30. It's an office space on 8th Ave between 36th and 37th streets that has been donated for the use of volunteer people to come together for fellowship. Someone recognized the need for a place for these people to continue to get together and it is welcome. Carol introduced me to a bunch of people she knows and we had a nice visit.

I left Carol there and returned to PTY around 4.

At 4:40 President Bush's helicopters flew over (already ten minutes late from returning from Shanksville, PA). We were excited to see them.

Around 5:30 I walked to Battery Park with Bridgette and Jim, a retired couple that are just the best people you'd ever want to meet. We weren't able to get into the park but were able to get close enough to see the telecast screen. After all the motorcades had arrived I thought we should leave but Bridgette talked me into staying, saying we could hear what was going on and see most of it. Later I was greatful she had and told her that someday I could tell my grand-nieces and nephews that when that flame was lit I was standing right over there.

Then we hiked back to Point Thank-You (West Side Highway and Christopher Street). My legs are aching now!!

I got home about 9:30, ate some take out and passed out.....

One story from the day that is worth special note occured in the late afternoon at PTY. We often have people stop and talk to us, share their story or ask for ours. Lots of vehicles honk as they pass or someone will yell "USA!" or "THANK-YOU" out the window as they pass, but one vehicle slowed and came to a stop right in the lane, not bothering to pull over and out of the way.

The back window rolled down and a smartly dressed man in his mid-fifties or so leaned out the window.... he said, "My daughter was on flight 11, one that hit one of the towers. Last week they identified DNA from three of the people on that flight, she was one of them. I want to thank you for your city and everything New York has done for me, and you all for being so wonderful, you are the greatest." With that he shouted, "I love New York!" His window rolled up and his driver continued down the road before we even had a chance to absorb what he'd said. For once we were quiet, every last one of us... and tears streamed down most of our faces.

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