I drove to work listening to CDs (since this was before the iPod), because I couldn’t stand (and still can’t stand) all the talking on the radio. I got to work and everyone was gathered around the TV in the conference room. I quickly learned why.

I remember frantic emails to my friends who lived/worked in NYC, checking in, finding out who had heard from who. I remember trying desperately to get in touch with my family and my boyfriend at the time. It took my brother-in-law almost all day and night to get home that day.

I remember thinking “I need to go home” some time during the mid-to-late morning. I remember making the (usually) long commute home back to the shore…and it taking no time at all. No one was on the road. It was eerie. I remember being afraid to cross over the Driscoll Bridge on the Garden State Parkway.

I remember being attached to the TV and the computer all day and night. I remember watching and crying. All the news channels’ websites had bulletin boards where people could post, trying to get info and news on people. Complete strangers, posting their phone numbers and email addresses, in hopes of finding out that their friend/lover/family member, who worked on the (insert number here)th Floor, was okay.

I remember lighting a candle and sitting on my patio, just thinking about it all.

I remember looking over towards the New York skyline from my yard, and seeing smoke for days. I remember smelling it in the air for days.

Random things about that day, still so vivid all these years later.