September 11, 2001 Part I

For those of you who don't know, I had the unfortunate experience of being on a commercial airliner on 9/11 during the tragedy that occurred in New York City, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC. I boarded an America West Airbus A319 in Sacramento, CA at 5:45 a.m. for the 6:10 a.m. flight to Phoenix, AZ. I was flying to Phoenix in part to collect a final paycheck for an underwriter in Santa Barbara that was being terminated due to budget cuts at my company and his own incompetence as an underwriter. I was to be in Phoenix on 9/11 and then catch another flight from Phoenix to Santa Barbara on 9/12. I settled into my first class leather clubseat and tried to get some extra sleep. We took off about 6:15 bound for Phoenix and the lights were turned off and the only sound in the cabin was light conversation and the rustling of morning papers mixed with the aroma of coffee.

Half an hour into the flight, the pilot came on the intercom and informed us that a "jet" had flown into the World Trade Center and that one of the towers was being evacuated. We weren't told if the jet was a military jet or a commercial airliner. Conversation buzzed in the cabin and I shared with my seatmate that I had worked for six weeks in the WTC with Dean Witter. Approximately, 15 minutes later, the captain came back on the intercom and informed us that a second "jetliner" had hit the second tower of the WTC and that the FAA had ordered all commercial flights to land at the closest available airport. He wasn't sure if we would head back to Fresno or fly on to Las Vegas. He came back on a few minutes later and informed us that one of the towers of the WTC had collapsed and that a third plane had hit the pentagon. He also told us that we were cleared to land in Las Vegas. We were in a plane at 10,000 feet and the world seemed to be coming to an end. I shared with my seatmate that it was "impossible" that one of the towers had collapsed and that the captain had misinformation. I'd stood on the observation deck of the WTC and looked out to Manhattan and looked at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and a tower of that size collapsing was unimaginable to me.

We landed about 7:15 a.m. in Las Vegas and the airport was utter chaos with people trying to line up rental cars and the line for taxis stretching out for a mile. I called my office and let them know where I was and that I couldn't arrange a rental car. My boss directed me to get to a corporately owned U-Haul Center and then call them back. My company is owned by the same holding company that owns U-Haul. I stood in line for a cab with the multitude and tried to calm down a marketing rep for Johnson and Johnson. She was freaking out and her husband was driving from Dallas to pick her up in Vegas. Most of the detainees were trying to arrange hotel accomodations and I remember thinking that with a terrorist hitting major cities, that I wouldn't want to be in Los Angeles or San Francisco or New York City and there I was in a city that has close to a million people close to the strip at any one time. DUH! I called Darla and let her know that I was safe and that I was heading to a U-Haul center.

I finally worked my way to the front of the line and asked the cabbie to take me to a U-Haul center. He asked which one and I could only stare at him. I asked him to take me to the largest center and he said he knew one. We drove for miles and he finally pulled into Ed's Rental Center, which also offered U-Hauls. I asked Ed where the main U-Haul center was and we proceeded to that location. The cab fare was $35 and I handed over the $40 that I had in my wallet and asked for a receipt. It was at the rental center that I first saw the images that the rest of the nation and the world was glued to. Both towers had fallen by the time I got to the center and I was in shock at the gravity of the disaster. I got to the counter and was told that all trucks were booked. I asked for a phone and called home office. A U-Haul VP got on the line and told the manager of the center to "find" a truck for me and make it a priority. He located one across town and offered to drive me there in his own car, a rattletrap 15-year old Toyota Corolla with a broken rear window (How much do they pay these U-haul guys?).

The only truck available was a 24-footer which got about 5 miles to the gallon of gas. It had air conditioning and a stereo and I was told to get home and not proceed to Phoenix. I was also told that my daughter was frantic and trying to get ahold of me. I called her at the car dealer she was working for and told her that I was safe and that I'd be home that night. I left on my ten-hour drive through the state of Nevada back to Roseville. The truck was newer and was out of service for an oil change. It drove fine, but it cost me $55 to fill the tank each time and I stopped for gas twice on the ride home. I listened to the radio and heard reports from each of the crash sites and hurt for America and for our freedom. I gained a new respect for George W Bush and for how he handled himself during the crisis and I'm proud to say that I voted for him and continue to support him in his fight to eradicate terror in this world.

I arrived home at 11:30, tired and scared and happy to have Darla there to talk to and to give and receive comfort from.

Up next......Santa Barbara.