9/11: 5 years onward
Out of context: Reply #31
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- mattyd040
I remember I was landscaping at the time, and we had to do this massive lawn that day because it was the last week my boss had my friends and I before we went to school. On the way to the house, we heard all the radio broadcasts of what was happening, but as a rule of the company, we couldn't enter anybody's house to see it. As we pull up to the house, there was a large gate in front with a long, winding driveway to the front door. A we arrivied, we began to take all the equipment off the truck. As we were doing so, the owner of the house, this fragile looking man, came up to our boss and asked if we could postpone our work for another day as he was looking after his daughter, who was dying of cancer and he wanted her to rest. My boss empathized, but said it had to be done that day because it was our last week. The man said, okay, go ahead and we started our job.
Two hours behind a mower, walking back and forth in this sprawling backyard, you were just left to think. Not having all the info on what was happening was a little unnerving as fighter jets were roaring by overhead. After we finished, we did our routine of putting all the equipment back onto the truck only to be interrupted by this car racing up the driveway. It was like a scene in a movie, I remember it vivdly: I was leaning on the back of a mower, with my sleeves rolled all the way up with a cigarette hanging out of my mouth. My friend was sitting at the end of a truck bed casually smoking a cigarette. As she walked by us, it was almost like it was in slow motion. I just remember her staring at me as she walked by, we exchanged glances and she said "I'm sorry you have to be there for this."
The woman walks up to the front door and rings the doorbell. The old man answers and his face lit up at the sight of this woman. The man could tell something was wrong when he saw her demeanor. She then embraced him and the man's expression just dropped. She just kept saying, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry" as the man wept. My boss then walked up two the two, his hat off and gripped tightly with both hands in front of him, nodded and then turned and came towards us. Walking back, he gave us this look that suggested we finish doing what we were doing as soon as possible.
With the truck all loaded up, we started back down the driveway. My friend, concerned, asked my boss, "What just happened?" My boss pursed his lips, furrowed his brow and gently said "His brother was on the second plane." After hearing that, I had this feeling like someone had just punched me in the stomach and I just naturally looked away. My eyes stopped right at the sideview mirror. In it, I could perfectly see the two still embracing. I watched that with the heaviest heart until they were no longer in sight.
I'll never forget that moment and that day. I wish the best for those whose stories strike closer to home (such as yours, Jason) or for anybody who lost somebody that day. Five years on, but still seems like yesterday.