September 17, 2011 editorial: comments

Dear Fellow Audiofanziners,

Last week marked the 10th anniversary for the tragic events that took place on Sept. 11, 2001 (now simply referred to as 9-11).  As a tribute to, the Fender Custom Shop has come up with a trio of custom Stratocaster guitars commemorating "the events and the heroes at the World Trade Center complex."  A worthy initiative no doubt, it made me remember my own experience of 9-11, as I was working in New York City at that time.

I remember it was a beautiful sunny Tuesday morning, and as I crossed the Brooklyn bridge on the subway into the city, I gazed at the World Trade Center and thought what a lovely view.  Starting out my morning, a colleague informed me that some 'nut case' crashed his plane into the world trade center.  I turned on my radio and then listened to the ensuing events in disbelief.  Everyone had gathered in the conference room to watch the events on TV.  The big towers, stood wounded and burning and I thought - woh, it's going to take a long time to fix up those floors.  But soon enough there was nothing to fix as they collapsed, and we were left with our months open, our morning coffees have long since turned cold and murky.

What followed at least for our company in midtown was 'evacuation' by foot.  My friend and I walked over to Central Park and watched as some NYers drowned their uncertainly in a pre-noon pint at the nearest pub.  We sat there watching F16s hover above not sure what to do.  Finally, I got on the only subway in the city which crossed the tunnel on the way to Brooklyn.  Packed like sardines, I was relieved when the doors opened on the other side.  I turned around and saw the 'island' with a huge cloud of smoke over it.  I escaped the island, escaped the subway, and found myself in Brooklyn taking the long walk home, thinking it will never be the same.

The next day coming into the city I was the only one in my company to come to work.  Manhattan was a ghost town and I walked in the streets that were empty and gray, devoid of the colors which typically dress them- waves of people and streams of cars and cabs.

10 years later, 9-11 has left us with an air traveling experience which feels like a root canal - expensive and painful but must be done.  But alas, shame on me for thinking of my discomfort.  It is the ultimate discomfort to lose a loved one.  What can we say today to comfort the families of the 3000+ people who lost their lives in 9-11?

Thank you for listening.

Chater-La