Except it was a Tuesday not a Saturday. I was two years in working as a Digital Archivist. At that time we strictly did microfilm/fiche bi tonal and gray scale scanning. We also preinspected the film at microfilm readers and that was called Bibchecking. I was doing that when we heard the news on the radio. Terrorists attacking the Pentagon ran the fear that they would attack us because our major client was/is the Library of Congress.

My manager at the time was discombobulated because her son either worked near or in the twin towers. I can’t remember which but she left for the day. Worked……stopped….that day. That day we watched the news in the break room on a TV we used to have to show worker safety films for new hires.

We then called it a day. There was an eeire silence that day and the days after with many American Flags flown and yellow ribbons tied to tree’s.

There was also an ugly side…I was persecuted for being 1/4 Syrian, my relatives were persecuted for also being Muslim. I remember eating in a local Syrian restaurant when someone threw a brick through the window.

It was also a hard year. My Mom’s last before the Cancer spread everywhere. My Mom was well enough to add some art and poetry to the 9-11 Memorial at The Banana Factory South Bethlehem. All was hopeful with my Mom but she then took a turn in October and passed on February 7, 2002.