The morning of the attacks, I was sleeping in since I did not have Political Science until 11:30. Then all of a sudden my roommate, Mikey, came storming to my door, banging away, screaming, "Glen, you have to come and see what's happening on TV." I had initially thought it was something on HBO, since he had an affinity to be carried away with movies that he sees, and told him I would watch it later when it came back on again. He then persisted on with constant pounding at my door, trying to convince me into coming out to see what was being showed on the television. Finally I arose from bed threaten him with bodily harm if what I saw was not "wicked cool”.
When I got to the living room and looked at the screen, I was somewhat confused as to what I was watching. Thinking it was a movie, I was impressed by how real the footage of the fire was from the initial hit appeared, and was struggling to figure out its title. Then the sobering moment hit, blasting away the surreal ness that had existed, the second plane hit the tower. Things then began to click.
Unsure of what to do I stood. No thoughts ran through my head, or maybe there were many thoughts running so fast I just could not realize it. Someone in the house then turn on the radio to get other news about classes. The Administration at Radford had decided it was in the best interest of the students and the community if classes were held as usual. Unfortunately, it backfired.
When I went to my Poli Sci class there were no lessons being taught, not from any Prof. anyways. Just a room full of eyes starring at a screen showing the aftermath unfolds. There was no chatter among the students; some had tried to call home to no avail. Finally, they began to read off the numbers of the flights that were brought down, and suddenly there was a girl two rows to the right of me who just fell to the ground in tears. She screamed so terribly loud. Most of us thought she had injured herself somehow. Then we made the connection someone she knew was on the flight. Turns out it, was her father making his routine business trip?
The rest of the day was a vivid blur, as strange as it seems. I remember it all very clearly, but not in the way, you would think. I am not really able to break apart the day and examine it. It is more like a large portrait of everything that happened. All the events and emotions blended together to make a huge image. There are parts that stand out that I talk about and then parts that I tend not to discuss.
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