It's September 10th, 2021 and tomorrow will be the 20th anniversary of 9/11.
Tomorrow also would be my son's 29th birthday. Today's Tales From The Orange Room will be a little different. Today, I'd like to wish my son, Dylan, happy birthday in the form of a letter.
Dylan,
Tomorrow is the 20th anniversary of that day. Do you remember? You and your sister had recently moved back home with us. We were so happy to finally have you back after years of only Summer and holiday visits. This was your first birthday back in Illinois and you were meeting new frinds in a new school. I drove you that morning because Sharen had made cookies for you to share with your new classmates. As I waited for you to brush your teeth, that first image of a plane appeared on our TV screen. We both commented on how strange that was.
After safely dropping you and your cookies off at school, I stopped by Casey's for coffee and then made my way to work. I listened to Bob and Tom in the mornings back then, but it became obvious as I turned on my radio, they were NOT finding anything funny on this beautiful Tuesday morning. A SECOND PLANE had hit the other tower and there was much confusion as to what was happening. Soon, a report of a THIRD SKYJACKED PLANE....Possibly heading into Washington DC!!! This was WAR!!!
Total chaos continued that day at the Bank where I worked. We were in a Kroger grocery store and one of our employees bought a portable TV and we watched the towers fall in between banking transactions. No one could believe what we were seeing. I was worried what they were telling you kids at school. I was worried that you were scared.
The bank closed early that day and after getting home, I was happy to see you both were safe. You looked at me with those big innocent eyes and said, " It's been a bad day Dad". "I know buddy", I said. But you really had no Idea of the horrors that had taken place that day. No, you were referring to the ordeal of trying to cross that busy road with a half a tray of cookies under your arm!!! Do you remember? In your world, this was your horror.
You told me that everyone was driving crazy trying to get to the gas station. The traffic was very heavy and you were scared trying to cross 116 which can be dangerous But on this particular day, people were trying to beat the price gouging at the pumps. You tried to pick the best time to cross the dangerous road.....and when you finally saw an opening.... a break in the traffic.......you dropped your cookies and RAN!!!!
You panicked, but you had already committed to your decision to cross. You had to leave your cookies on the other side of the road. Remember? You were worried that we would be mad and you'd be in trouble for leaving the pan. I just had to hug you close. It WAS a bad day Bobber. I felt so sorry for you as you told me your story, but I breathed a sigh of relief knowing you were still unaware of the details of that day.
We had planned on going out to dinner that night to celebrate your birthday. We ended up eating at Hunts on Farmington road and it was the last time I ate there. It was empty. It may have been the only place we could find open.
I'd like to tell you that things are better now than they were 20 years ago but they're not. The same people who attacked our country have now taken over Afghanistan and our senile President inadvertently gave them 83 million dollars worth of US military
equiptment. We continue to feel the effects of a world wide Pandemic. They call it Covid 19. The country is very divided and I feel our politicians and our Media just fan the flames to keep us divided.
I guess we just wait and see what happens next.
Happy birthday Bobber. I love you and I miss you.
I'll never foget that day and I'll never forget you.
Dad
9/10/2021
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