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Yorick · 09-12-2001, 02:36 PM

Monday night I was in the apartment I've been posting from lately. Chambers street with a stunning view of the WTC, Statue of Liberty, Downtown, the Hundson and even City hall. I looked out at the top of the WTC towards a friend who I was speaking to on the phone. They were in the bar up there. One of the last to leave that night. I was going to stay in the same friends apartment that night instead of the one I was phoning from and so lined up meeting details.

I awoke on Tuesday 9am. I had a recording session that day in a studio a few blocks north. Nearing 9:30 I heard a hell of a lot of sirens. I jokingly called down in a mock NYC accent "hey some New Yorkers are trying to sleep" mainly for the ears of one of the roommates who had just woken as well.

Running a little late I headed out onto sixth avenue and moved northwards amazed by the number of people on the street. Focussed, I didn't think anything of it until I after jogging uptown for a bit I came upon a van with a crowd of people huddled round it listening to the radio.
"What's going on?" I asked
"Two planes just hit the World trade centre" came the reply from the sombre faced businessman. "Terrorists. They made a beeline straight for the buildings"

Then I turned around.

I couldn't believe it. Smoke, the crowds. It was surreal. "Damn" I thought. "That's gonna take ages to repair" totally unaware of what would follow. I was bummed and concerned, but was running late so I kept on towards the studio. I came across a park with a view of the WTC and had another look. More crowds were staring at the spectacle. I had just turned to start walking east when people started screaming. Their sounds of pure panic and sorrow will ring in my ears forever. It impacted my phyche.
"No no no!" I heard men scream
"Oh my God, Oh my God" women wailed panic stricken.
"Aaaah"

I thought another plane must have been flying toward us, heading for the crowd. I looked again at the towers and saw the most sickening picture of the tower, with God knows how many people inside fall in a powdery cloud of dust.

I stared in horror. "No" I whispered. Women nearby were crying. Men staring in disbelief walking in circles muttering things like "The tower just fell. The tower just fell down."

I wept. I felt sick. Such loss of life, such destruction.

I can't write anymore about that. It's just so surreal. I went to the studio. THe radio and TV were on in there. We saw the second of the towers fall. None of us felt good about recording, yet we did our best to focus for the moment, and while I sang, was in another world, with no catastrophic loss of life.

Then I was back in the real world.

I went back downtown. I lined up to give blood, but they started turning us away from St. Vincents. Ironically the name of the hospital in Sydney where blood transfusions saved my own life.

I hung around though. Talking to people. Everywhere the converstaions were about nothing else.

Later that night I was on a bike, and Manhattan was like a Ghost town. Stores shut, no cars, very few people. Police blockades, State troopers. A War zone. It is a different city to before this disaster. There is a different mood. The icon to the cities heart, wealth and success lies in rubble at the hands of some phycopaths.

Yet in response, New Yorkers, the same who are so self focussed, distracted and accumulative, have in their hundreds given of their very lifeforce, their blood, to help in the only way they can.

My God. My God.

------------------
I am the walrus!.... er, no hang on....

A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!

09-12-2001, 02:36 PM	#1
Yorick Very Mad Bird Join Date: January 7, 2001 Location: Breukelen (over the river from New Amsterdam) Age: 53 Posts: 9,246	Monday night I was in the apartment I've been posting from lately. Chambers street with a stunning view of the WTC, Statue of Liberty, Downtown, the Hundson and even City hall. I looked out at the top of the WTC towards a friend who I was speaking to on the phone. They were in the bar up there. One of the last to leave that night. I was going to stay in the same friends apartment that night instead of the one I was phoning from and so lined up meeting details. I awoke on Tuesday 9am. I had a recording session that day in a studio a few blocks north. Nearing 9:30 I heard a hell of a lot of sirens. I jokingly called down in a mock NYC accent "hey some New Yorkers are trying to sleep" mainly for the ears of one of the roommates who had just woken as well. Running a little late I headed out onto sixth avenue and moved northwards amazed by the number of people on the street. Focussed, I didn't think anything of it until I after jogging uptown for a bit I came upon a van with a crowd of people huddled round it listening to the radio. "What's going on?" I asked "Two planes just hit the World trade centre" came the reply from the sombre faced businessman. "Terrorists. They made a beeline straight for the buildings" Then I turned around. I couldn't believe it. Smoke, the crowds. It was surreal. "Damn" I thought. "That's gonna take ages to repair" totally unaware of what would follow. I was bummed and concerned, but was running late so I kept on towards the studio. I came across a park with a view of the WTC and had another look. More crowds were staring at the spectacle. I had just turned to start walking east when people started screaming. Their sounds of pure panic and sorrow will ring in my ears forever. It impacted my phyche. "No no no!" I heard men scream "Oh my God, Oh my God" women wailed panic stricken. "Aaaah" I thought another plane must have been flying toward us, heading for the crowd. I looked again at the towers and saw the most sickening picture of the tower, with God knows how many people inside fall in a powdery cloud of dust. I stared in horror. "No" I whispered. Women nearby were crying. Men staring in disbelief walking in circles muttering things like "The tower just fell. The tower just fell down." I wept. I felt sick. Such loss of life, such destruction. I can't write anymore about that. It's just so surreal. I went to the studio. THe radio and TV were on in there. We saw the second of the towers fall. None of us felt good about recording, yet we did our best to focus for the moment, and while I sang, was in another world, with no catastrophic loss of life. Then I was back in the real world. I went back downtown. I lined up to give blood, but they started turning us away from St. Vincents. Ironically the name of the hospital in Sydney where blood transfusions saved my own life. I hung around though. Talking to people. Everywhere the converstaions were about nothing else. Later that night I was on a bike, and Manhattan was like a Ghost town. Stores shut, no cars, very few people. Police blockades, State troopers. A War zone. It is a different city to before this disaster. There is a different mood. The icon to the cities heart, wealth and success lies in rubble at the hands of some phycopaths. Yet in response, New Yorkers, the same who are so self focussed, distracted and accumulative, have in their hundreds given of their very lifeforce, their blood, to help in the only way they can. My God. My God. ------------------ I am the walrus!.... er, no hang on.... A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!