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September 15, 2001

far and away

What a difference location makes. We made it to Ocean City, but felt the tension lifting as soon as we hit Delaware. Brian and Myra agree that they feel physically tense. Muscles aching, joints in pain. It's from being tense so much, every time we hear a siren in the District, every time we have to evacuate, or alter our normal routes through life in the city.

This morning I went to the gas station for some coffee. The clerk noticed my drivers license, and looked at me and said "You're from DC? How is it over there?". I replied that we all had to leave for a while, and were happy to be at the beach. We're watching movies, playing D&D and Pokemon, and just getting away from things for a while. It's nice. The difference in perspective has helped a lot from this view.

On Friday I noticed people were just starting to deal with things, whereas some were dealing on Tuesday or Wednesday. Earlier in the week, Jon was freaking out, and I kept having fits of crying from Tuesday through Wednesday. Other people began that process later in the week, like Brian and Rob. Myra remains stoic. Even though she is black, I think she's just fresh out of a reincarnation as a Midwest Scandanavian. I think it was the reality of seeing the smoke from the Pentagon overhead at work early on Tuesday, and knowing an acquaintance had died on one of the planes that made things hit quicker for me. I learned later that a neighbor just across the street from my old residence on Swann St. is gone. I remember him walking his little beagle/poodle mix with his boyfriend. Never chatted with him, but he's gone too. I'm pretty lucky though, as no one I really knew well is gone, but I'm just a degree or so away from things. Kerry and his superior Col. Paul at the Pentagon are all right, which was good to hear. People don't really know what it's like outside of NYC or DC, but they're getting an idea.

It was Bobby's idea to go get drunk on Tuesay, and rent stupid movies on Wednesday. He later admitted they were deliberate efforts, through skills learned at a crisis hotline center where he used to work. Do silly things, dull your mind for a bit, get away from e-mail, the Internet and telvision. Work out, dance, eat foods that you like, get drunk, get away for a bit and deal how you have to this weekend. Commit to nothing for a while, and heal yourself your own way. Be with friends, discuss things, cry alone or on someone else's shoulder. Tell your family and friends that you love them. Value your life, be good to yourself, because you are alive.

Posted by jimbo at September 15, 2001 11:06 PM

Comments

Posted by: jimbo at September 17, 2001 6:39 PM

Posted by: Biggen at February 18, 2004 9:13 AM