Sept. 11

For me, the most visceral images of that day weren't from NYC, but from DC. I remember seeing the footage of ambulances lined up, waiting to get into Arlington Hospital--a hospital I not only drove by regularly, but have been in multiple times. When I returned to DC three days later (by train, there were no flights available), I remember going to the Smithsonian (what was I supposed to do? Cower in fear in my family's house?)*, I remember seeing surface-to-air missile batteries at the foot of the Washington Monument. The whole city had turned into an armed camp, and everything was…
Many others will speak far more eloquently about today than I could, so I'll just mention several brief thoughts. I found out about the 9/11 attacks after voting in the Democratic primary (which was cancelled). At that time, it wasn't clear what had happened: the radio reports were describing it as a small plane--making it sound like a horrible accident. When I arrived at work, we turned on an old banged-up TV where it was clear what exactly had happened. Then the reception cut out. Because the tower with the TV transmitters fell. There's one other thing. A colleague suggested that…