Where were you 9 years ago today?

I woke up this morning, much like I did 9 years ago on this day on which the entire face of America changed forever. In fact I had actually forgotten what day it was on this sunny morning in Montana, so far away from the terrible events of 9/11. Much like 9 years ago, it wasn't until I got onto the computer and saw on the web the reminder of the terrible tragedy that befell our country 9 years ago.

9 years ago, at around the same time, was just getting up after deciding to sleep in late and arrive late at my morning class. I was going to my local College and starting my degree in Information Systems management. Dreery eyed from over sleeping and not really wanting to pay attention to my instructors lesson, I fired up my computer terminal and decided to browse through my usual tech and computer forums for something worthy of my time.

I was immediately struck by the major forum topics of the day on the main page in big bold letters " New York attacked! WTC buildings on fire!!!! WTC collapsed! Pentagon attacked, on fire!!"

Wondering what in the hell was going on I verbally called out loud to the entire classroom right in the middle of my instructors speech

"Ummm, can someone tell me what the hell is going on in New York?

I still remember the entire room going deafly quiet as 30+ people slowly turned their heads towards me with looks of surprised, shock and even some anger towards me. My instructor looked at me with both somewhat disbelief and disdane

"You don't know Bryce? I think you better go to the study hall"

Without a second thought, I threw myself outa my chair and ran across the campus full tilt and barged into the cafeterial study area were they had set up a makeshift TV and stand. Surrounding it were well over a hundred students, faculty and teachers with various looks of shock, horror, surprise and even some crying. I ran to the TV just in time to see the second tower collapse on the news feed. It wasn't until the newscaster was saying something to the effect of

"The WTC are gone, the second tower collapsed, its gone...its just gone"

did I realize what had happened. I fell sick to my stomach and for the first time in my life, didn't know what to feel or think as I stared at the TV for what seemed to be hours. After watching the replays of the planes smashing into the towers, the pentagon burning and the crashed plane in the field, I felt sick and utterly numb in my entire body. I slowly dragged myself to back class and tried to concentrate on my studies but my mind was completely gone through the entire day.

I came home after school and watched more news feeds of the events with my parents, not saying alot until I had to go work my late shift at Wal-Mart. It wasn't any better there, I hardly spoke with anyone and didn't really need to, the store was eerily quiet with only the soft murmor of shocked and stunned conversation between people of what had transpired that day. Even the Wal-Mart satellite feed had been switched to CNN coverage of the 9/11 tragedy and I spent most of that very quiet evening in the electronics dept of Wal-Mart, watching the world change via a wall of TV's showing me the cruel reality of what had happened that day.

So, where were you on 9/11?