Where were you?
 

"Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)"

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Out in the yard with your wife and children
Working on some stage in LA

Did you stand there in shock at the site of
That black smoke rising against that blue sky
Did you shout out in anger
In fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry

Did you weep for the children
Who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don't know
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below

Did you burst out in pride
For the red white and blue
The heroes who died just doing what they do
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself to what really matters


Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Teaching a class full of innocent children
Driving down some cold interstate
Did you feel guilty cause you're a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone
Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her
Did you dust off that bible at home

Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened
Close your eyes and not go to sleep
Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages
Speak with some stranger on the street

Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow
Go out and buy you a gun
Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watching
And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns

Did you go to a church and hold hands with some stranger
Stand in line and give your own blood
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day?

BY: Alan Jackson

Getting ready for work & watching it on TV. It was my birthday. I don't like to celebrate my birthday any more. God bless those who were lost & their families.

We were in an apartment in Paris and hadn't turned on the TV, so until we got a phone call from a Parisan friend, we had no idea what had happened.

The outpour of grief and sympathy from the Parisians that we encountered was amazing, especially since we were alone and had nothing but the TV to keep us informed.

In restaurants, stores, etc.. when people heard us speak and realized that we were Americans, they made a point of walking over to us and saying 'our hearts are with you' - we heard that phrase over and over again.

We were told that the entire street in front of the American Embassy was piled high with flowers and notes. People had to hand the flowers to guards because no one was allowed near the Embassy.

We love the French people, and that day and the days that followed, only endeared them more to us.

We decided after much pondering for most of day, to keep our dinner reservation at Astrance. The host came to our table and said, 'we have an American and a Canadian in our kitchen. Tonight, there are no smiles in the kitchen."

We soon realized that we weren't alone, we were in a community of warm, caring people.

Nina

Since it was about 4 in the afternoon in Paris when the towers fell, I don't see how you could have pondered your dinner reservation for most of the day.

Can you explain how that works?

I was home because I got sick and had to change my plans to fly to Switzerland on 9/10. I was annoyed at missing my flight but because I was home on 9/11, I was able to help my nephew, who was visiting NYC and staying in an apartment a block from Tower 1. He was able to get out after Tower 1 collapsed and was uninjured.

Nobody in my family is sentimental about 9/11. We don't sing songs about it and we don't make dramas about it. Many of us in NYC are glad to see tourism has actually increased since the attacks and wish that the rest of the nation would quit singing songs and support sensible anti-terror policies instead of what's going on.

JandaO thank you for posting that. I don't think i've heard it, but reading it definitely took me back to that morning. Standing in the living room with my son, and on the phone with my mom. Watching the second building hit. I remember thinking nothing will ever be the same again. And also thinking that my 15 year old son didn't understand the huge-ness of it. That his generation and younger would hardly remember an America BEFORE it.

Robespierre... you are somethin else.

[Shucks.] :">

The north tower was struck at 2:46 pm, Paris time. We don't know when Nina got the phone call - - perhaps between 3 and 4. If they had an 8 pm reservation, I'm sure that it seemed like they spent "most of the rest of the day", pondering...

I think that the post by R was rude to Nina.

Best wishes,

Rex

We pulled into our hotel (Clontarf Castle) in Dublin around 2:30 Ireland time. When we went up to our room the TV was on. My first reaction was 'why would they put a science fiction movie on for us?'
Two planes had crashed; the whereabouts of two were unknown.
To make a long story short we spent the next week stranded in Dublin. The Irish were amazingly wonderful to us. (remember the Irish police/firefighters)_
It was a scary week. Our best source of TV was British Sky and we learned to truly admire Tony Blair. The only TV in our room after we moved to Clontarf Court (not recommended) was Teletubbies.
It is absolutely a day and an experience we will never forget. I pray for our country.

Until the south tower fell at 9:59, all that was known was that three buildings had been hit by airplanes. The damage seemed significant but manageable up to the collapse.

New York = GMT-5
Paris = GMT+1

9:59 + 6 = 15:59 It was four o'clock.

Since when is asking for an explanation rude? And as long as we're asking questions: if the jihadists "hate us because of our freedom," why didn't they attack the Statue of Liberty or The Capitol? Does their targeting of our centers of military and economic power mean anything?

nessundorma

I meant no disrepect. Hearing the song reminds me that we shall never forget that day and that we all need to see what is really important in life.

I suspect that most of us support anti-terror policies.

I went to the Metro station to go to DC Superior Court for some hearings. After I parked the car, someone came out of Metro to tell me a missle had hit the Pentagon and DC and the Metro "closed".

I then went to my car, turned on the radio and tried to figure out what was going on. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, but I finally decided to just go home. DC was not "closed"--nor was the Metro. I imagined downtown was chaos and I had no idea how I would get home once I got to DC if Metro closed.

I went home when I heard the Federal Government was closed. After several phone calls, I was able to determine later in the day that DC Superior Court was also closed.

My kids began calling. I spoke to my son. After he hung up I realized it was his 20th birthday and I forgot to wish him a happy birthday. Some birthday. . . . for the rest of his life. He turned 25 today. When he turns 70, long after I kick the bucket, it will be the 50th anniversary of 911. I told him to lie and celebrate either the day before or the day after.

It used to be that November 22nd was the lousiest birthdate. Now it September 11th. Let us hope that we do not have another incident.

Wherever you travel, please get there safely with or without your lip gloss.

My friend and I, both from California, were in Boston visiting friends from our alma mater Boston University. We were asleep when our friends yelled to us to wake-up. We ran down stairs and watched the second plane hit the WTC. We were stuck in Boston until Sept. 16th. I was flying American nonstop BOS-LAX and got on the first American Airlines flight from BOS to LAX they let go following the attacks.
When booking the tickets in July, AA Flight 11 came up as the cheapest option. I clicked on that one, then my friend encouraged me to switch to the one right after so we could sleep in an extra hour. She as flying on Delta. So I changed to AA Flight 181 instead.

Thank you Rex - again you have shown youself to be a true gentleman.

Robes - Against my better judgement, I am going to dignify your question or is it an accusation, with an answer.
Simple math for simple minds ....
Rex's time frame is correct except our reservation was for 9:00PM, not 8:00PM.

We were relaxing in the apartment when our friend telephoned us from his job as soon as he heard the terrible news.

We immediately decided that we did not want to go out for dinner. At some point, we called Astrance to cancel, and they kindly told us that they would hold the reservation for us and asked that we please call them at least l/2 hour prior to our time, if we wanted to cancel.

Now this may sound calleous, but we had made the reservation one month in advance from home, as soon as they opened on that day, and we were able to get the time and date that we wanted. At that time, Astrance had recently opened to rave reviews and we had personal recommendations from several dear friends. It was almost impossible to get a reservation then and I understand that it is still that way. As a regular diner at Captain Fluch and McDo's, you obviously have no experience making or keeping reservations.

The gentleman at Astrance said that there were no openings for the remainder of our five week stay in Paris, and that they would understand if we decided at the last minute to cancel.

Yes, we pondered and then decided about an hour and a half before our dining time that we would go. I'm sorry that I don't remember the exact time our pondering stopped. Had I known that six years to the day I would be tested, I would have noted the exact time in my diary.

That was a long horrible day for us, and for the world. In retrospect it seems as if we "pondered" for the whole day, but I guess I made a mistake, and should have said for the 'remainder of the day' and into the early evening.

If you have nothing to contribute to a very serious thread, why not pass on this one?? It is obvious that you feel compelled to post something, anything, no matter how stupid or how rude, just so you can see your name in print.

I know where we were - do you know where you were? And if so, at this point, who cares?

Nina

Janda and all of you young 'uns

...of course we all remember 9/11 to the minute details..but let me take you back to December 7, 1941.

Back in Massachusetts, I was at a Sunday matinee' movie in Braintree...I recall it was a Paul Muni (look it up) movie of some noir type...mother and dad loved to go to the movies and occasionally take their 12 year old son along.
After the movie at 5:00 we went to visit my uncle and aunt in my hometown, Quincy.
Even though it was nearly 65 years ago, I shall never forget the look on my dear Uncle's face when he came to the door...he was a guy steeped in world events and never missed a broadcast.

"They bombed Pearl Harbor!"

Dad answered.."What? What is Pearl Harbor. Who bombed what"?

My older cousin was standing by with all the answers and within another minute we all knew what happened on that eventful day 6,000 miles west. At 12 years of age, I remember that I understood the impact of the day and the next day at school it was discussed in as much detail that appeared in the morning papers...at 10:30 am we were all sent home...no reason given...but later found out that a false alarm of "an unidentified airplane flyng around Boston" was the reason.

Our lives were changed forever.

Stu T.

Before Robes has a chance to correct my obvious faux paux, it was five years ago today, not six.

Nina

"Simple math for simple minds" I guess you're right. I got through Differential Equations all right, but boggled at Tensors.

Dor and I were touring one of those chateaux thingys in the Loire Valley and then ate some Mouelles and Freedom Fries before returning to our hotel to see the news.

This is a pretty narcissistic topic, even for Fodor's.

The ugliness of some comments is mind-boggling.

Even for Fodor's.

Me? I was escaping from my office next door to the New York Stock Exchange. My brother-in-law - well, he's gone without a trace :(

Robespierre," Date: 09/11/2006, 11:46 pm
Until the south tower fell at 9:59, all that was known was that three buildings had been hit by airplanes. The damage seemed significant but manageable up to the collapse."

Just an FYI, the damage did NOT "seem manageable" from the moment a commercial airlier hit the first tower. I trade stocks, and almost everybody in my business was at his or her desk and watching CNBC or a similar news channel and getting ready for the trading day. Any of us who have been in the business for any length of time knew people who worked in the towers. The Cantor offices were on an open mic to their office in the Tower. We watched people jump to their deaths instead of being burned alive.

Manageable? HOW DARE YOU?

Fodors. it may be time to pull this thread. We're heading into a political minefield.

Fodors. it may be time to pull this thread. It has absolutely nothing to do with travel.

This tragedy is much too sensitive for a travel forum. We are all heart-broken for the loved ones who are gone.

Actually if you read the manifestos of many of the terrorist groups (including Al-Qaida), they do detest the Western world's version of freedom.
They find much of it an affront to their interpretation of the Koran and an insult to the will of God.

It is a religious war for most of the Islamic terrorist groups--with a major stated aim to make the entire world Islamic (and ultra-conservative Islamic at that). Ladies, you won't have to worry about what your college major should be or advancement in your work careers if they should win.

Actually, if you read the transcript of Peter Arnett's 1997 interview with Osama bin Laden, you will find that &quot;freedom&quot; isn't even mentioned when Arnett asks why <i>jihad</i> has been declared.

The fundamentalists view the attack as retaliation for U.S. foreign policy in the mideast. You may disagree with that position, but for Americans to at least <u>look</u> at the issue from the enemy's point of view might be helpful. Emotional proximity to the sacrifice detracts from clarity.

By the way, I think the day will come (soon) when we regret having 138,000 troops in Iraq instead of guarding our ports and critical infrastructure.

In my apartment three blocks away from the towers.

Some of the comments on this thread are deeply insensitive and at best offensive to anyone who had personal exposure to this event beyond that of a TV screen.
Robespierre, I think it would be good if you would email the Editors to request the removal of the thread. If it's not gone soon, then I'll email them. But I think it would better if you made the first move.

I too was in Paris on 9/11 and after pondering what was left of the day, we decided to skip our dinner reservation. The TV coverage took away our appetites.

Robspiere your name tells us alot about who you are!

My screen name is a <i>nom de plume</i>. It tells you no more about me than the color of my eyes does.

I was on my way to Manhattan, driving to the ferry terminal in Staten Island when the radio announcers came on to say a plane had crashed into the WTC. We didn't really think much of it, they went back to their music. We saw huge billows of smoke overheard, though we couldn't yet see the towers. My father noticed a plane in the sky and remakred &quot;look at that idiot, he's heading straight for the smoke..&quot;. Seconds later they announced a second crash into the other tower.

Got near the ferry, had an appointment, finished my business and for some reason we still headed over to the ferry terminal (I had a job interview that day). Stopped along the way at a clearing where we could see everything. Saw the first tower collapse. Knew I wasn't going anywhere that day. I will never forget the shock, sounds, smell, sights of that moment.

I remember every second of that day like it was yesterday.

<b>&quot;...the radio announcers came on to say a plane had crashed into the WTC. We didn't really think much of it...&quot;</b>

See? Manageable.

Most people, when they are in a hole, quit digging.

And when that doesn't work, they'll try to browbeat everyone else into believing there is no hole. And when that STILL doesn't work, they'll invent a new nom de plume and continue browbeating in stereo.

Since when is the presentation of facts &quot;browbeating?&quot; Do you have the slightest concept of how a dialogue works?

September 11 is my birthday also, and I was teaching a 6th grade special educaiton class in Pearl, MS. The previous year on September 11, my father in law died. I have not stopped celebrating my birthday, but I an usually very anxious about what could happen on that day.

apparently, some people have difficulty distinquishing the difference between fact, opinion and feeling.

Or the difference between debate and character assassination, for that matter.