I was driving in to classes in my 2nd Junior year at UMD. Was listening to Elliot in the Morning and thought he was just being a jackass as normal... talking about planes flying into buildings and all... switched over to WTOP, and when they were also talking about it, I knew something was up.
Found out later that day that my grandfather was supposed to be in the Pentagon that morning at about that time to tour the recently completed renovations. He bailed because he needed to go see the dentist for an emergency visit for a tooth problem.
The whole day still has me freaked out. My brother joined the Natl Guard a little more than a year prior to 9/11 thinking it was a non-issue and was doing it to get the GI bill... didn't realize that he was punching his ticket to Northern Iraq for a year. I almost joined at the same time, but health issues in my past would have failed me out in a heartbeat.
Yeah... 9/11 is always going to be an important day for me. Zack, I'm glad that you understand the significance of the date. Unfortunately, I cross paths with too many kids who already see the date with as much significance as (unfortunately) my generation sees in D-day... just something in the history books that you have to take a test on. No clue that the consequences of that day are still, in ways, only just beginning to unfold 12 years later.
Hope you all had a meaningful Patriot Day. NEVER FORGET.
