9/11

Seven years ago today, I was sitting in my courtroom when I got the word that one of the Twin Towers in New York had been hit by a plane. I'm not sure how I got the word first - I may have had the internet up in background on my computer. I remember seeing a picture, and checking the news story and all it said was that one of the Towers had been hit and no further news was known. This had to be minutes later.

We have a TV here in my suite of offices which occasionally has been used for various purposes - to view video evidence, for purposes of my annual Bar Seminar, etc. We wheeled it in to my Case Coordinator's office and turned on the news - all the while, I was ducking in and out of Court. I actually saw the second tower get hit and I can remember one of the women on my staff saying, "You don't think that's a coincidence, do you?" and my bailiff and I just looked at each other and said, "No." At that point of course we knew something was really wrong.

The rest of the day is kind of a blur. The Court House was closed at noon but I was still here, finishing up some work and actually was still in a hearing past noon. Of course, I'd spoken to my wife. Our youngest was 4 and at the sitters, my wife was at her former job at our church just down the street, our daughter was in middle school and our third son was a freshman in college but was at home. Our oldest son was in school in Tennessee and our second son in Morgantown. I can remember wishing that all of us were together somewhere. Truly, none of us new what to expect next. Was our country being attacked?

There were stories of a plane over Elkins. Then of course we heard of the plane that hit the Pentagon. We were scheduled to go to Morgantown that evening for a picnic with our oldest son, a class activity for him at WVU. That event was cancelled but we went ahead and had dinner with him. Earlier in the day, my wife and I had been to one of many local church services, at the Presbyterian Church here in downtown Clarksburg.

I was interviewed by the local news media (WDTV) early that afternoon and what I recall is that I was worried about my adult sons and the possibility of a draft. Selfish maybe but it was on my mind. After we had dinner with my #2 son in Morgantown, he attended a service at his church there and coincidentially he was interviewed for his reaction, also by WDTV. The 11:00 news featured father and son back-to-back but the connection was not made. I wish I'd asked for a copy of that spot!

So much has happened since then. The aftermath has included the Iraq War and now we're facing yet another Presidential election with these issues of terrorism, etc., still at the fore. Our country certainly needs someone to lead us these next few years who can deal effectively with these issues and other pressing ones such as energy which are undeniably related in some ways. That's what I'm praying for today.