9/11

The third anniversary of 9/11 has passed by over the weekend.

I'm disappointed that Larry forgot who the person was next to him when it happened -- Larry, it was me!! I was the one who told you that it was not an accident when you said that it might be an accident. I told you that it was clear sky on that morning. Crashed in the Hudson River might be classified as an accident but the towers? Impossible.

It was surreal experience to be in the District when we saw the tube broadcasting the whole she-bang drama. My pager has been ringing all day long, frantically trying to make sure everyone else is OK and someone to talk because one is shocked.

But was I ever shocked? No. Surprised? Yes. It was inevitable, like it or not. Timing was bit off, but clever of al-Qaeda to do that.

I got pissed off at that stupid deaf latino guy from Los Angeles who cheered that California is better than New York during the tragedy. I shouted and signed vehemently that there are people dead right now as you are using your time to mock each other?! He lost my respect ... permanently.

Then someone alerted me that the Pentagon was being attacked. That the State Department was bombed. That the airplanes are still flying towards us. Someone even mentioned the possibility of crashing at ... *gasp!* Tower Clock at Gallaudet University. Emergency! Call 911!

Insanity and absurdity existed during the national crisis. One needs to look at ourselves, sometimes. Propelling the flags all across the nation scared me silly. It tasted of nationalism, which is not good thing to embrace. Nationalism destroyed nations.

It was a somber experience that none of us will forget. But again, there are events in our lives that we will never forget. When the USS Challenger exploded, I told Mr. Frick, my Algebra teacher in high school, that the explosion itself was beautiful. He said, "You are morbid, Ricky."

When the towers collapsed and the smoke engulfed and covered the lower Manhattan, it was surreal and yet, so beautiful and tragic. I turned to look at Rico and Berna, "This is something you will never see again in your lifetime." Both nodded and looked back at the television screen.

Thanks a lot, George W. Bush. Thanks for making it happen.

R-