I live and work in Washington DC Metro area. Until three months ago I daily
drove within 50 yards of the site where the plane impacted the Pentagon. I
usually drove past there at the precise time that the plane today crashed
(not today).
Six months ago I was offered an opportunity to work IN the Pentagon. Anyone
in the area who works for the government or government contractors and knows
the Pentagon, knows that working there is not without its problems. Parking
is a major pain. The building is not terribly comfy for everyone
(especially not for people like me), and then there is this problem of it
being something of a "target". I declined the offer.
Instead I went to work elsewhere and today found myself watching the events
from a TV in a conference room with co-workers and others. It was chilling
to see the place that I knew so well (the Pentagon helipad and surroundings)
destroyed, knowing that the people I usually saw milling about there were
probably dead or seriously injured. And my thoughts went to the person who
took the job that I had passed over.
I am not one of the PDML celebrities, and have often raised the ire of the
chosen. But I want to put a face on this. I now know what my parents felt
when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Now I know why so many were willing to go
to their deaths over it. I am unfortunately too old to enlist for I would
consider doing so - albeit the enemy has yet to be identified...
I am unable to contact people who work for my company who were stationed at
the Pentagon and hope that they were not among the unfortunate. All
politics aside, there is a profound human dimension to this that has hit me
very close to home.
ppro
-
This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe,
go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to
visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
