[HPforGrownups] NYC Residents -- Please Let us Know you're Okay

[Herald Talia]

No: HPFGUIDX 25976

I have a slightly skewed perspective on this, since I was a student in
Israel, where attacks like this are all too common. It's like a mental
toothache over there - will this trip to the post office or the park be
my last? But Americans aren't braced for it. Without getting political, I
just want to say that it's sad that President Bush had to have such a
large, tragic, terrifying object lesson before he could make the
unequivocal condemnation "Terrorism is evil." My heart and prayers go out
to the victims, some of whom are still being evacuated from the rubble. I
hope everyone's ok. 

			Terrorism in America
			An eyewitness account
			Robyn
	Initially, it seemed surreal. Like watching a science fiction film where
aliens engage in wholesale destruction. It just doesn't seem actual. I
was on the Verrazano at 8:45 and I saw the whole thing. Later, I saw the
first tower collapse from the roof of my job - in Sunset Park - which is
just over the bridge from Manhattan. I actually SAW the plane hit the
tower - it looked pretty, actually, like an orange flower was suddenly
blooming on the side of the building. The smoke was already billowing
from the first tower, and soon the column of smoke was so big and thick
and black, it looked like several buildings were burning. 
	Later, like an idiot, I got on the N train to go to my job (no one
realized then, what had really happened) Train service suddenly stopped,
and in the mad (very scary) rush to get off the train, my pocketbook was
stolen.  I was sure I'd be trampled by all the people who were pushing
and shoving and panicking. I'm sure there were injuries, but in the wake
of the larger news, we didn't hear about it. I never really realized the
scary power of a mob of people, when they are all pushing and screaming,
each one only out for himself. You get the sense that each person is a
primitive animal, perfectly willing to trample you so he can get out to
safety. For sheer survival, you act like an animal too, pushing and
shoving so you don't get pushed and shoved. 
	It was the scariest thing, to see the building collapse. You heard a
loud creak, and some people who were closer heard a "whoosh" Then, it
seemed to be silently, the building just fell in. Imagine a tower of
blocks that your toddler builds. It's round and hollow in the middle.
Imagine a strong wind coming from all sides of the tower. Picture the
blocks all falling inwards. That's how it looked. If you blinked, you
missed it. 
	The power of government also scared me. Since I work in a medical
center, in a mental health related field, I was deemed "Medical
Personnel." I was not allowed to leave. Protestations of toddlers
waiting, and no means of contacting care givers weren't listened to.
Kosher food? Too bad. Get jelly beans at the vending machine. We spent
all day training on triage and trauma counseling, but did not see many
real cases. Bellevue and St. Vincent got most cases. 
	It also struck me how illusory our sense of control and mastery of our
world is. People were whipping out cell phones, trying to call loved
ones, and couldn't get through. Then they tried real phones, and still
couldn't. Then you saw real panic. That's when you realized how fragile
and novel these things are - cell phones, e-mail, transportation. They
all serve to make us instant masters of our domain, but they're just
fragile toys. 
	I guess Sirius Black (or Peter Pettigrew) had nothing on these
terrorists. Thirteen people with a single curse? Contrast that with
1,000s of people with a single plane. I don't want to be a Muggle
anymore! The Potterverse, even with The Big V, seems a much safer place. 
G'Night. 
I'm off to bed with CoS, PoA, GoF, and some Patricia C. Wrede, a cup of
hot cocoa, and warm, cozy blankets. ( I want my teddy back!!! Should I
kidnap one of my daughter's?)
Robyn