Thoughts on 9/11/01

On September 11, 2001 it was a gorgeous and sunny day. I was a grad student at Peabody. I went to the Peabody bookstore to get my Starbucks coffee. I noticed that the woman who worked there who was such a sweetheart looked very distressed. I acted happy to see her. After all, life was good, I was a grad student where I wanted to be. She told me that one of the twin towers had been hit. I just didn't believe it. I had heard about threats of an attack, but the twin towers? No fucking way! Then the other tower got hit. It was real. Holy shit! I watched these events unfold on the tv in the Peabody lounge. My best friend Patrick Durek was there, so I stood next to him. My mouth just hung over. I couldn't believe it. Was I really seeing this? Thousands of people were killed who were just going about their lives. My teacher the late Wayne Conner, and my studio mate and friend Amy Bonn were standing by the tv as well. Of course the students were sent home. I wanted to cry for these people, but was too stunned to react. I went back to my apartment and asked my roommate if he had seen the news lately. I told him to turn it on. He was in disbelief. I called my parents to talk to them. My mom remembered that my sister was right near the attack. She could see it. Imagine seeing it live. I'm glad I didn't. What a tragedy, and what the hell for? Why people have to harm people is something I cannot grasp. I miss seeing those buildings. I still can't believe they're not there. They were such beautiful buildings. I have gone into NY a ton of times. I went in with Pat and my dad a whole bunch of times. I used to love seeing those buildings. I went inside once back in 1990 and sang with the American Boychoir. It was so exquisitely beautiful inside the building. Ten years have passed already. My heart goes out to those who have lost people in these attacks. I sincerely hope that no other tragedy of this magnitude ever happens again. Especially ones that were done on purpose like this one.