fifth anniversaries

Today was my fifth anniversary at my place of work.

Which means that tomorrow is the fifth anniversary of what is arguably the very worst day in American history.

We all so vividly remember that day... who could forget it?

Mike & I had only been married about six months at the time, and I remember seeing it on tv for the first time in "Froggy's cafe" and realizing that Mike would be going there - not "if" but "when" ... and indeed he left the next day. I stayed at Carrie's house that first night that he was away... watching the television from her couch early into the morning, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

His memories still haunt him. The smells. The sights. Writing his social security number on his limbs and his torso with permanent marker. The empty hotel, the panic of employees wondering how long they'd have their jobs. The 22-hour days.

These memories belong to us all... but I could not imagine having seen the tragedy first hand, actually being on the streets of New York or Washington D.C.