September 11, 2001

Letter to a Wellesley Classmate in D.C.

Thank you so much for writing--I'm so glad that you and yours are okay. How scary for you to be dating someone who works at the Pentagon. You made pretty good time if you had to walk all the way home. You must have mad blisters!

It's all just unbelievable--I was about to leave home, and just making a quick call to some workmen who had started (badly and crookedly) on a fence adjacent to my house, and I had the TV on kinda watching the news at the same time. When it hit me what had happened, I just started freaking out, and I was so upset I couldn't leave for 45 minutes or so because I kept on having to go wash my face after each new outrage/disaster. The complete collapse of both towers is so unbelievably shocking. Last time I was in NYC two years ago, I went to the top of Tower One with my mom to enjoy the view, and bought discount theatre tickets at the TKTS booth there, like I always do. Then we went shopping at Century 21 across the street. And now it's all gone. Just a hole in the sky. Unbelievable...

I was so worried about you, and just praying that you were out of harm's way. I'm afraid the news from NYC isn't going to be good. I wonder how many of our Wellesley classmates and friends were working in downtown Manhattan today. I hope that a lot of people were voting in the mayoral primaries and were late to work, and thus never made it into the building.

Here at work, we've all been crowding around the TV off and on all day. Anyway, let me know if you think a visit to our nation's capital is still a good idea. They're going to have to change the name for popular sites from "tourist attractions" to "targets." Well, stay in touch - maybe they'll figure out how and why this all happened.

Letter to a Friend on 9-11

Yeah, I'm in shock. I was just about to leave the house this morning when I heard the news, and I was so upset, I kept on having to go wash my face, and then I'd pull myself together, and then I'd hear about a new horror, and fall to pieces again. I'm freaking out. I can't believe that the both buildings are just gone. A huge hole in a skyline that has suddenly changed after 31 years of being dominated by the twin towers.

My mom and I went there last time we were in NYC, went to the top of Bldg. 1 to Windows on the World, had some coffee, enjoyed the view, bought some theatre tickets at TKTS on the Trade Center Concourse, and a couple of souvenirs from one of the little carts there. Unbelievable.

I've been reading the French newspaper Le Figaro to see what they have to say. They have some amazing photos, etc.

Anyway, I'm doing fine, compared to those people working in downtown Manhattan. Still waiting to hear from my friend who works for the federal government in D.C.

Not feeling very safe today.

September 6, 2001

Getting the Point Across

I never said anything to you directly about it, because I thought we had let our acquaintance drop, but now that you have written to me again, I cannot keep silent. I have to say that from your behavior and conversation when we met and when we had lunch, I was led to believe that you were separated or divorced from your wife. I was quite dismayed to find out that you were still very much married and your wife was about to have another child. I realize that even regular church-goers can be hypocrites, but I expected something more from someone who claims to be a Christian. I have no respect for men who hit on other women while their wives are 8 1/2 months pregnant, and have no desire to be friends with such a person. Please, take me off your mailing list and don't write me again.