You almost forgot...

I was walking to my 2nd hour German IV class senior year of high school. It was Tuesday.

Ben Wright stormed in telling the class one of the World Trade Center buildings in NYC had been hit by a plane. Frau Marshall let us turn on the TV to watch.

It had to be a mistake. A miscalculation with the air tower. How does a plane hit a 110-story building, on accident?

Then, the second plane hit the south tower.

First reaction? Confusion. Then, disbelief.

By the end of 2nd hour, the first tower had collapsed.

No one understood what a terrorist attack was. (I'm not talking blatant media scare tactics. I mean actual violence inflicted to make a statement, while jeopardizing innocent human lives as collateral damage.)

Mr. Bauduin, my 3rd hour Psychology teacher, let us watch CNN. I remember bodies falling from the 96th floor. Or the 100th floor? Little black dots, almost confused with the billion sheets of paper floating to the ground. But bodies don't float through the air the same way.

No one talked in the halls. No one did school work. After lunch, the teachers in my classes had shut off the TVs, but no one did any work.

I worked at Festival Foods after school that night. Some people commented; wondered what the world was coming to. Others kept their heads down with sober eyes. Everyone bought canned goods. Bottled water. Propane tanks. Firewood.

I remember bits and pieces days and weeks after. I watched CNN and MSNBC daily. I became obsessed with how the buildings fell, why it happened, finding the victims, and watching every minuscule detail unfold. I felt like I was apart of it -- directly affected.

For awhile, patriotism ran rampant. People smiled and helped out. Neighbors were cordial, if not downright friendly.

And everyone kept saying, "It takes this for people to appreciate others?"

I don't remember when I turned off my TV. It's been seven years.