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[OT] where were you 9/11?



Oddly enough, I have a 9/11 story that is completely and unabashedly Scirocco-related.  I can't even make this up!

At the time, I was a Caf? Manager for Center City Philadelphia Caf? and Bookstore.  I was working a closing shift that day (3-12) and had the early portion of the day off.  Earlier in the week, I had secured a deal with a compadre in Germany to swap a set of US-spec bumpers for a set of Euro bumpers.  Super sweetness, if you ask me!

So, I was planning on wrapping up the bumpers and sending them to my man in Germany via the UPS account at work.  I had driven them down to work and parked in the back parking lot.  I hauled the bumpers into the receiving area around 9:00 AM or so.  As I was on the floor of the basement receiving area, wrapping the US bumpers in cardboard, my receiving friends were listening to the radio.  I had heard something about a plane crashing into the WTC, but I just thought it was a Cessna or something, so I kept about my business.

We actually ended up running out of cardboard, so I drove down to a U-Haul location to buy some more.  When I was waiting in line, I heard something about one of the towers collapsing.  I stepped up to the counter, and said to the guy, "Wait, did they say that the tower collapsed?  Like, it's fucking gone?!?!!"  The guy dryly said "Yeah, it's gone."  I was stunned.  I didn't know what to do.  

I finished up with the bumpers and drove home.  I had already heard that work was going to be cancelled, as basically the entire NE corridor of the US shut down that day.  As I arrived home, I found my (now ex-) girlfriend already home from work sitting on my couch, watching the chaos unfold on the TV.  I felt extra bad for her, since it was her birthday.  Forever will she be reminded of the WTC on every birthday.  Sucks.  She also had just moved from NYC 4 months before, so she knew TONS of people in and around the area.

It was a dark day, and many dark days after that.  The whole thing was really chilling for a long time.  Every once in a while, I am reminded of how that felt.  I don't really want to feel that way again.

At least I can remember Sciroccos on that day.  I love those Euro bumpers I got!

Joe

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