SwiftVets.com

[NortonPete]

I spent 20 years of my life commuting into Manhattan from NJ. Most of it
in Lower Manhattan. Somehow the WTC was always a part of my life.
For 3 years I worked in and around the WTC.
7 WTC, 5 WTC, 2 WTC and the World Financial Center (WFC).
Fortunately I was not there on 9/11/01 but I was there on 2/26/93 ( 1st bombing ).
I will just post a few thoughts about this magnificent
complex.
1976 - During Op Sail in NYC I recalled seeing the nearly completed buildings.
They were ugly and I couldn't believe that the Manhattan skyline had been so badly marred.
Little did I know that 20 years later I would admire these great towers as one of the finest NYC features.
Years went by and the WTC became the "hub" of Lower Manhattan.
I bought a diamond ring for my wife in the concourse's jewelry shop.
It was more like a small town.
I often encountered friends while commuting from the PATH station and the common call
at at 6:00PM was WTC? meaning lets walk to the WTC and go home.
There was a steady stream of 100,000 + commuters but everything
would go smoothly. One day someone dropped their wallet and every card
scattered out beneath the feet of the marching army of commuters.
In seconds it was gathered up by dozens of people who returned all the
contents to the bewildered owner.
The NYPD setup a station there after the first bombing.
One day in 1998 a man came up to me on the PATH and asked if I would
give him directions to the WTC. He was starting his first day at a new job
and was from Georgia. I said I would be happy to, I took him out of the
building and walked to the square between the WTC1 and WTC2 and said here
you are.
The towers were actually very beautiful.
There was a optical illusion when viewing them from the ground. They appeared to go up forever.
I remember the NYFD station right across the street. We felt safe.
The rule: three floors above or two floors below any fire and the NYFD would extinguish it.
One of my earliest dates with my wife was at Windows On The World. ( the top floor of WTC ).
There was all of Manhattan lit up.
I cannot bring myself to go to "ground zero". It's just too hard.
[/i]

[Doll]

Powerful and profound. Thank you for sharing this with us here.
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The HILL Chronicles

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[shawa]

Very poignant reflections, Norton Pete.
Kinda like losing an old friend who was always there.
Hold on to your memories and thanks for sharing them.
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“I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.” (Thomas Paine, 1776)