9.11.01
Friday, September 9th, 2011I decided to type this for the world to read. I just want to explain my experience. I know I was on the other side of the continent.
On the night of Sept. 10th, I parked my motorcycle on the sidewalk of Embaracadero Shopping Center. Went up to the Gap Store which was closed to all customers but open to employees. It was closed for the remainder of the week because Gap, last time I remember, splitted women and men into two different stores within the same location. Top floor to go to the men and bottom floor for the women. I guess easier access for women. My co-workers and I moved and re-arranged every clothing, hangers, furniture, and several other items between the two floors. We moved Men’s stuff upstairs whilst I eye’ing my motorcycle making sure it doesn’t get parking tickets from these infernal meter maids. We all kept working well into the morning of 4:00am of Sept. 11.
At 4am, my eyes were red, my arms were spent, my feet swelled up, and legs became wobbled up; I was tired. A strange surreal feeling came to me during my last working hours. I guessed it was because I was tired. I usually stayed up late most of the time and, this time, it felt different. I looked at everyone differently. The atmosphere felt like it was the last day of something. Will I crash my motorcycle? Will I get fired? Is somebody gonna shoot me just for a measly Andrew Jackson in my wallet? Will something happen to my family? Is my apartment on fire? These were the queries loading my brain. I had a huge impact of the dread premonition. I thought to myself that I don’t need this shit in my brain. I had it before on my best buddy’s untimely death at Gallaudet University. Goes the same when I bid farewell to my Grandfather before heading to Spain. Stupid annoying “gut-feeling” of the last day of everything. End of the world? Alien invasion? Fuck!
Eh, it was 4am. I packed my messenger bag and put on my Vanson jacket. Snugged in my helmet firmly. Sat on my bike, keys in, switched on, pressed the starter button, and the sweet vibration of the flat twin started thrumming to life. Motorcycles always calms me down. San Francisco, at 4am, slept really well. Streets were very quiet and empty devoid of the usual traffic whenever on wheels or feet. Popped the clutch, jumped off the sidewalk onto the road and zoomed away to home. No cars, no cops, nothing. Sweet. I was in a hurry to get home because my eyelids wanted to glue itself shut. The ride back home was a quick 10 mins ride. I got on Columbus and I glanced at the TransAmerica building behind me via my side mirrors and it was getting smaller fast. Booo, too fast, eased up on the throttle or I could have smash-pow-wam-bam-boom my bike then take a frickin’ nap on a frickin’ sidewalk like a frickin’ good-for-nothing bums! Luckily, I slowed down and made an nice left on Bay St. heading toward the Doyle Dr Freeway via Marina Blvd. It was a freakish ride. I was trying to get away from my pecking premonition. Things smoothed out when I got off Doyle heading down Park Presidio. Finally arriving at home on 522 25th St. after making illegal left off Geary. Like I give a fuck, there were no black-n-white in sight and, again, my eyes and brain were slaggin’ off. Finally parked my motorcycle and bade it sweet dreams. I do that a lot to my motorcycles, it’s good for them.
Here I was in the bedroom, I plopped myself on the bed and snoozed off. A feeling came to me that it is the last day of everything we know about the world. Slept really good that night and decided that if it was the end of the world, I would wake up in the netherworld and I’ll say, “OO that was it was!”
Alas, it wasn’t. Orkid, then-best-buddies at the time, shook me up in the middle of the morning. I was pretty peeved but she wasn’t. She didn’t look good herself too and was signing in gibberish at me something about a plane crash at World Trade Center. I just got up griping, moaning, and cussing about to the living room only to see an image of North World Trade Center having a big major fire. “Ooo blimey, it’s just another new movies coming out soon! Nice, thanks for waking me up for nothing!!” I signed in quick American Sign Language and bumbled off to bed fuming like mad.
But 20 mins later, a “wait-a-minute” came to thought, no self-respecting director of Hollywood would make a movie in that garish gimmicky “B” rated special effect with no color control or special effect. Nope nope. I got up again and walked back to the living room……….. my stomach tightened, “Fuck” came out of my mouth. Orkid was bundling up with Leo, her then-boyfriend at the time. Watched the whole horrific event. I don’t need to explain in details, everyone I know and loved knows it. That day, the world as we know ended that day and it was bad day, a really nasty one.
Took me months to realized what happened to me on Sept. 10th. I understood it and it’s nothing I can do but just accept this premonition thing I always have and move on. For Sept. 11, I won’t forget it and I’ll pray every time for all the victims who have suffered through this awful and unforgiving attack. Thanks to all great Firefighters and Officials and god bless them all. Rest in peace.
It’s great that New Yorkers are building the new World Trade Center, it’s very beautiful. However, I still miss the beautiful twin towers. It was the most beautiful thing in the world. One of the top Wonders of the World and, again, I really miss them. I wish I could visited it and viewed the entire New York City from the top of the WTC.
Many Thanks for reading my blog.
Pepe
