JUST ANOTHER SATURDAY...

OR NOT...

 Since this is september 11th I thought I would share the sentiments of many of my family and friends and remember 9-11-2001.

 I was at work, like much of America. As I returned from the main shop floor, walking back toward my office, a co-worker rushed along the main hall telling anyone who would listen that "they are flying planes into buildings, it's an attack!"

 I tend to remain calm when others get excited, so I asked "who are THEY? and what are talking about?" No response from the woman as she headed off toward the cafeteria. I went into the office area and saw that the TV monitors were all on CNN instead of the usual company internal info channel that always ran.
 People were gathered around in stunned silence as the news crew recounted what was happening. Then the second plane hit, and I realized that something big was going on. Pagers, phones and radios began to alert all around us and we were told that evacuation was to take place immediately.
 There had never been an evac of that facility in all the years it had been operating, people began to snap out of their internal thoughts and begin to react. I was assigned to get all of our test people out of the clean room and shut down the equipment. When all that was done and everyone was accounted for and out, I was to check in with my boss and then leave.
 It was only later that I realized that our building had two major issues that made us targets that day. First, the roof of our main building was marked with large identifying numbers and letters that pilots used as way-points to gauge their location in relation to a local major highway interchange and the airport.
 Second, we had a hydrogen plant on-site that could possibly be a target for terrorists. It was a giant bomb sitting there.
Before I left I called my wife and convinced her to leave work, pick up our son and get home until we knew what was really going on. We made it home, safe and sound, but history was made that day and we watched it happen.
Nine years later we still have that day on our minds. I was telling the grandchildren that when I was a child I always remembered where I was and what I was doing when president Kennedy was killed, and that was a sad day. Now I have two major events that will stay with me all my life. My dad and his generation have three, since december 7th 1941 was his sad but memorable event.
 I pray often that we will never again suffer such a day in our nation. Our family also supports and appreciates those who serve us and keep us safe. Police, fire, EMT, all first responders; Those in service overseas or here at home.
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU
for all you do for us. You give us the security to go on with our normal lives.
Thanks for reading this to the end and allowing me to share a memory with my grandchildren about a terrible day in our nations history.
Until next time; I'll be seein' ya'...