Tragedy and Memory

We touched briefly on the connection that tragic events have to our memory. J.F.K, Pearl Harbor, and the September 11th attacks provide a universal understanding of of such an impact on the individual memory, and Dr. Sexson provided us with his insight to JFK. Where he was, what he was doing, and his broadcast of it later that day.

Most of us in the class were not even a glimmer in our parents eye at that point, but we do have the tragedy of 9/11 to impress itself upon our memories. The tragedy is burned into our memories like an everlasting yesterday, vividly depicted and better remembered than our own breakfast each morning. I myself was in 7th grade, getting ready for school when my grandma called my mom. She told my mom to turn on the news, that she couldn't describe the disaster and that my mom would have to see for herself. She also made my mom promise not to turn on the TV until "the kids were all out of the house." (I didn't learn this until later)

My ride took me to school, and while we were outside waiting for the doors to open I was told by Kerry Cicero that planes had flown into the twin towers. I didn't believe this and remained skeptical until an announcement came over the intercom during first period asking all teachers to turn on their television sets. I don't think I need to explain what was on the television that day.

I was in second period when the first tower fell. It was geography with Mr. Horst and I sat next to Michael Tevlin. on 9/10 he talked at length about Al Quida, the Taliban, and Osama bin Laden. It was nothing but the facts, that the Taliban controlled Afghanistan, and bin Laden was the most wanted man in the world. On 9/12 Mr. Horst was detained by the FBI for questioning, and released when they were convinced that his discussion and this tragedy were only coincidence.

My dad, on the day of the attack was on an airplane flight from Boston to Salt Lake City. He was stranded in Salt Lake and rode a greyhound back to Billings. I remember telling my English teacher that I was worried about him.

I was at lunch when the second tower fell and didn't find out until 5th period. 5th period was usualy a completely silent study hall, but that day we were allowed to have the TV on.

My day at school was unproductive. None of the teachers assigned any work, saying that they wanted us to spend our night with our families. When I got home My mom was in front of the TV crying, I still went to football practice, though most of the players and coaches never showed; there were ten of us and one coach...

My memories are jumble whaen I try to write them down, but they are as vivid as anyhting else in my life.


On a less universal note, I had a friend die in a longboarding accident two years ago. Andrew was hospitalized for head trauma at 9 O'clock on July forth the summer after I graduated. I got the call while watching the fireworks show. It had only barely begun. I could take you to the spot in medowlark park just north of central avenue in billings where some friends and I were watching from.

I can't even remember where I spent the forth of july last year.