Where Were You When

My memory is not the greatest thing in the world. My major memories don't start to kick in until I was about ten years old.

Tuesday 9th of September 2001 is one of the few 'where were you when' moments in my life.

I was fifteen years old, freshly entered into my final year of compulsory education and thus at school when the news began to filter through. The first time I became aware of it, I was partaking in an 'extra science' class, occasionally known as 'Twilight' due to the time of day it took place. (Bright sparks were offered this opportunity with a view to taking the 'triple award' exam, rather than the 'double award', which would result in three GCSEs rather than two). Some of the boys were hovering around the computer at the front of the lab, saying something about a "World Trade Centre", something I'd never even heard of.

"Shut up, we?re trying to concentrate here?" Was roughly my response. I'm not sure what topic we were covering, I have vague recollection of it being physics-based. I was far more concerned with trying to work out what the hell we were trying to learn about.

Similar to most other people's stories, I didn?t quite grasp the gravity of the situation until I got home and saw the television coverage.

Three days later we participated in a silence (I can't remember how long it was) at school. This time I was in a Food Technology lesson, our teacher had to leave the room because she was moved to tears; her brother had been in New York at the time and she hadn't heard until the previous evening whether he was ok or not (he was, thankfully). In some ways this memory is the one that brings it home the most.

In February 2003, we visited Ground Zero during a sixth form trip to the city. Some people took photos, but to me it felt wrong (rather like taking photos in a church feels wrong, not sure why). I remember fencing with a rose attached. But the overwhelming memories are the stark contrast as you move from the other bustling noisy New York streets, into this area, which is deadly quiet and really quite eerie.

Today the world over is remembering all who risked their lives to help, those who lost family members or friends, and those who died.
R.I.P.

(For today's blip, I dug out my exercise book from these lessons, I couldn't actually find the piece of work we were doing that day.)