by RainBird

Created on: February 26, 2007   Last Updated: February 02, 2010

I remember that day like it was yesterday. That Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, I woke up early and sat with my coffee, reading the paper and thinking about having to be at work at noon. I was, at the time, an assistant manager at a local chain grocery store and it was just too beautiful a day and I really didn't want to go.

The phone rang a little after 10am and it was my younger sister, Julie. She was screaming about something...turn on the TV...I don't believe this!...Oh My God!...Oh, no! I hurried to the television and turned it on. Flipping through the channels, everyone showed the New York skyline on the screen but, it's not right. What is going on? Some talking head on CNN was saying what looked like a commercial airliner had crashed into the World Trade Center. WHAT? How could ANY commercial pilot not see that HUGE building in front of him? Was he blind? I watched in amazement and wondered how that could have possibly happened. Did the plane controls malfunction? Pilot error? Amazing...

I sat watching this unbelievable scene on CNN for several minutes, still on the phone with my sister and still in shock at what I was seeing. It seemed like a nightmare. That beautiful city looks like a bomb hit it. I was glued to the TV. Out of the right side of the screen I saw what looked like a bird, ...no, another plane flying dangerously close to this disaster. I can't believe it. Tears start to roll down my face as I realize I just saw a second plane hit the other tower, which is now on fire and oh God, how many people did I watch just die?

I watched this until I absolutely HAD to go to work and I did, reluctantly, but I just had to be with people, my friends and co-workers, surely someone could explain what just happened. I needed to commiserate. I didn't understand. I got to the store at 1150 a.m. and went to the front desk to see what was going on. They were really busy at that moment and needed someone to answer that ringing phone.

At noon, on the nose, I picked up that ringing phone and I heard a male voice say, "There's a bomb planted in your store and it is set to go off in exactly 15 minutes." He hung up. The store was crowded that day; at least 250 shoppers and staff in the building. I bolted out of the room and went to find Dan, our store supervisor.

I found him within 2 minutes and told him what had just happened. He immediately called 9-1-1 and we started making announcements over the PA system for everyone to quickly and quietly leave the building immediately because on an emergency. Many did but yet some continued to shop, some cashiers continued to ring up customers orders...

1209 p.m. Another announcement. "Please leave the store immediately. Leave your shopping carts where they are and leave. This is a store emergency." I went to the cashiers still working. "You all need to leave!" Customers in line complained about losing their place in line; about the food and items they needed to purchase. I was amazed!

1211 p.m. "Get the HELL out of the store. You need to leave now! They finally did and we had the store cleared by 1212 pm. Staff stepped out into the parking lot, standing dangerously too close to the building. I went out into the middle of the lot where I thought I might be a little safer.

Many customers left but a few remained. The bomb squad, police and fire department arrived and entered the building. Word started circulating about why we had to evacuate and many turned to stare at me and moved a little farther away from the building...1213 p.m....1214 p.m......1215 p.m.....1216 p.m., I started to cry.

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