Remember where you were on 9-11-2001

[Frank S]

WE had left Arlington VA the evening before after installing a vehicle lift to lower an exotic car into the basement man cave. The plan had been to drive up to Manhattan to service a couple of installations but one of the guys wasn't feeling well so turned South instead, Along about 11 Am or possibly noon on the 11 th driving along about mid ways across Tennessee listening to a book on tape my cell rang and rang. Aren't you going to answer it? NA, its just Bill back at the shop wanting to jaw about something anyway it rang and rang then started ringing again and again. Finally decided to answer the stupid thing because it was interrupting the book.
Are you guys alright how close to Manhattan are you right now? I've been trying to reach you for over an hour get the heck out of NY. Why don't you call in once in a while, We're worried sick Where are you?
Slow down what is so all fired important for me to call in, we left Arlington last night and have been driving all night long there is no cell coverage in a lot of areas, we are in Tennessee why the sudden urgency?
Why don' t you ever listen to the radio there are planes dropping out of the sky flying right into the side of the world trade center.
OH BS. we'll be home sometime tomorrow you can spin us a yarn if you want when we get there. I hung up and switched off the phone turned the volume back up on the book.
What did Bill want this time one of the guys asked? He was spinning some yarn about planes falling out of the sky and flying into the twin towers that's all, you know his typical just wanting to yak about nothing BS.
The book ended and ejected the radio came on while We were trying to decide on another book. That was when some modern day George Orwell type program was on talking about the towers being on fire and falling Chris reached over and changed the station and it had the same commentary every station had about the same thing on. So I switched my phone back on and called the wife. No we are in Tennessee on the way home we'll be in tomorrow No we left last night and decided not to go to NY this time to do the service call we'll catch it on our next trip.
The rest of the trip was FUBARED no one wanted to listen to another book all we wanted to do was listen to the talking heads on the radio

[Toolmaker51]

I was northbound in Los Angeles to Simi Valley, very early in the morning. No riders; a carload of transit, tripod, rolling tape, other measuring tools, clipboards, camera, voice recorder, a box full of pens and legal-size notepads, etc. Was to take measurements all around HVAC and other equipment atop a building; we were to extend and install catwalks, architectural fencing, and open sheds for the entire structure. Plan was two days of documenting, everything predictable right down to street access for flatbeds and cranes, even potential rooming nearby for the crew.
FM radio broadcast was interrupted by what sounded like TV news reporting the initial impact. Cell phone rang just as I arrived; my Reserve Commander and we were called to muster-up "...this is not a drill!" The company owner called soon after; pull off the job and get back to shop pronto.

Yesterday spent time at a part-time gig I have. I was struck by the fact coming down the stairway from mezzanine office, the stair treads were identical to the catwalk material, the first time I've been on that type of flooring since 11 Sept 2001.

[Paul Jones]

I was attending a CIO conference in Tucson, AZ. My wife was with me and instead driving from LA to Tucson, we decided to fly and then rent a car. The conference had already starting on Sunday night and by Tuesday morning I was up early having continental breakfast in the conference room. Someone at the table said have you been watching the TV and I said no, what's going on. They said go back to your room and watch, it is not good. My wife and I watch the TV most of the day.

The Tucson airport was closed and would remain closed for an unknown duration. I was on the phone with Avis to see if the car I rented at the Tucson airport could be driven one-way back to near LA. Avis would not allow this at first but later in the day they said do it and Avis would wave any one-way penalties (it is about a 7 hour drive). Avis advised not return the car to any of the major airport rental locations and use the Avis rental return location near the Disneyland hotel in Anaheim, CA. It looked like a ghost town near Disneyland with very few out and about. I was on the phone working with our IT organization to make sure everything was secured. We took a cab home and I worked from home directing IT operations. We wanted most people to work from home until we knew more.