I'm not very good at remembering things. I forget stuff all the time. Doctor's appointments, my car keys, birthday parties. But it's hard to forget something like this. And looking back on it, I wish things had been different. But I was 7. And it's not easy to grasp things at that age.
I remember how sunny it was. It was a really pretty day outside. I was in the 2nd grade, Ms. Kuhn's class. And I remember my Gryffindor backpack that had my name on a gold tag with my home phone number. I can't remember what we learned at school that day. It didn't really matter later on. I remember sitting down through Reading and all of a sudden the lady came on the intercom and started calling kids down. "Attention students, would Students A,B,C and D please come down to the office. Your parents are here to pick you up." I thought it was really weird. So did our teacher. There were about 22 kids in our class, and by the time lunch rolled around there were only 12 left. I remember going to lunch and seeing how empty the cafeteria was. It was genuinely confusing. Was there some holiday that we had forgotten about? I didn't really have that many friends, so I ate my peanut butter and banana sandwich while I watched the couple kids at our table gossip about what they thought was happening.
We didn't go outside for recess. I knew things were getting weird. It was beautiful outside, and we didn't have an assembly. They just sent us to the gym, and all the teacher aids and the gym teacher watched the doors, and the windows, and us. It was just so weird.
We went back to class, and at that point we were down to 5 kids. I was pulling out my spelling workbook when the lady came on the intercom. "Attention students, would R.L. please come down to the office. Your mother is here to pick you up." I looked at my teacher, and she shook her head yes and I knew it was okay to go. She looked scared.
I don't remember what art projects were on the walls, but I remember getting to the main office and seeing my mom. She looked so scared. I couldn't ask her anything, she just picked me up and grabbed my Gryffindor backpack and ran out the door. She literally ran. Maybe I had a doctor's appointment and she forgot it was today. That happened sometimes. I can't remember the car she was driving, I think it was the white station wagon. That or the blue car. But I remember she buckled me in and we zoomed home.
I don't remember the clothes I was wearing. But I remember I sat down on Mom and Dad's bed and watched the TV that was on their dresser. It was small, but the news was on. I hated watching the news. It was boring. I couldn't ask mom to change the channel. She was on the phone with Nana, and asking a bunch of questions. Don't ask me to remember them all. But after Nana she called Dad at work. She asked him if he was coming home soon. I guess he must have said yes because he came home earlier than he usually did. I remember the news guy saying that it was a sad day. There were buildings on fire. I didn't think about it really, because that's all the news talked about. Boring people and buildings being on fire.
I don't remember what we had for dinner. But I remember Dad hugging us all, me and Mom and my baby sister. They tucked me in to bed after my bath and asked me, "R.... do you know what happened today? Did you hear anything at school?" I shook my head no, because I didn't believe my classmates. I only believed what the teachers said because they were grownups. Dad left the room, I think to see if my sister was sleeping. Mom told me that bad people had blown up two big important buildings. She explained that not everyone liked America because we had freedom. I knew what freedom was. It was being able to do whatever you wanted without getting into trouble for it. "But why would someone do that?" I asked her. She was crying and said, "I don't know." But she kissed me and turned on my bedroom light. I hated the dark.
I don't remember what I dreamed. But I remember laying there and thinking about those bad people. Maybe if we were nice to them, they wouldn't be mean to us, I thought. Maybe we can give them a basket full of good stuff and we can all be friends.
I don't remember the next day. September 12, 2001 is a giant blank in my mind. I can't remember anything from it.
I'm 21 years old now. I've seen the conspiracy theories, the stupid questions, the "was it an inside job from the government?" I've asked my own questions. Like, "what if it had been raining that day? maybe the flights would have been cancelled and those towers would still be standing.
It was a long time ago. But I'm glad I can remember it. Those who do not know their history are doomed to repeat it.
Please. Tell your stories. Listen to other people. Honor those who lost their lives.
Because tomorrow depends on it.