A Little Numb

(6:30)
I arrived at work
as usual
(keep moving)
sipped tea as I
read and
answered my email
reviewed
prepared
worked
(8:20)
called
hung up
(8:27)
“attend session?”
“yes”
(keep moving)
(8:42)
session started at
8:45
29th floor
sign-in sheets
(keep moving)
(8:44)
whine of
and incoming missile
“under attack?”
BOOM
building shook
a rolling wave
debris falling
(keep moving)
earthquake?
no.
“everyone out”
“use the stairs”
orderly
quiet
earthquake?
no.
25th floor
(keep moving)
lines of
fire fighters
fully outfitted
extra equipment
“you guys have got
a lot of heart”
smiled
“thank you”
walk with purpose
(keep moving)
message pager said
plane hit
accident?
20th Floor
stairwell shook
message pager said
plane hit
deliberate.
9th Floor
sprinklers
3rd Floor
damage
(keep moving)
1st Floor
shambles
direct us away
from the building
“away from building”
(away from building)
“don’t look up”
(don’t look back)
“keep moving”
(keep moving)
(keep moving)
(keep moving)
[0 Floor, Ground Zero]
large puddle of something
red
catsup
towel soaked
blood
“I didn’t want to know?”
I did
someone’s head
landed
squashed
on impact
couldn’t
find the body

(3:08)
arrived in
Red Bank, still
damp
wrinkled
sooty
(3:15)
home
sat
(same spot)
two days
watching

no bad dreams
seen the 60’s
lived in
Boston
LA, saw
earthquakes
wild fires
civil disobedience
violence
movies
TV

I realize
I have been
left
a little numb

http://911digitalarchive.org/parser.php?object_id=12226
http://911digitalarchive.org/repository_object.php?object_id=35641

(EDIT: fixed picture)