9/11/01 - Robb's Story

From the 9/11 Reader's Project -here's Robb's story:

Tuesday, September 11, 2001 was a school day for me. I had a class at Fullerton College at 9:00 that morning. I rarely turn on the TV or radio on days I go to school because I usually end up running late if I do. I was just about to head out the door when the phone rang. I debated whether or not I wanted to answer it. I did and my aunt, who lived in Chico at the time, was on the other end. She asked me if I had heard the news and I assumed "the news" referred to my uncle being diagnosed with cancer, so I said "Yes." She then wondered if my mom was home (she was a Kindergarten teacher) and assumed she would be home because of what happened. I realized that she was not referring to my uncle and asked what news she was referring to. She said that a plane had crashed into the Trade Center in New York. At this I ran in to turn on Fox News. Upon seeing the footage, both of us were thinking it was terrorism. We talked a little while longer while watching the footage then I informed her that I needed to leave for school.

I was about halfway down our street when I said to myself "What am I doing?" and drove back home and put out Old Glory. On my way to school I switched between two local news radio stations. A lot of the drive to school seems a blur until I stopped at a signal in front of Fullerton High School and a police car caught my eye. The turn lanes must have been going at the time because (as far as I remember) the traffic on both Chapman Avenue and Lemon Street were stopped. I watched the police car hop the curb on Lemon Street, drive across the sidewalk and grass in front of the auditorium and off the curb onto Chapman Avenue in the opposite direction I was headed. The intersection is not far from the street to turn off to go to the police station, but the police car went past it. It didn't have its lights or siren going, but I still wondered why the police car had to jump the curb and take off in such a hurry. My first thought was whether or not there was a terrorist attack in the area.

Class was uneventful and somber. On the ride home I did notice a greater police presence both in Fullerton and La Habra (I don't have far to drive through Whittier). I don't remember how many police cars I saw but it was more than one or two. The rest of the day was spent watching Fox News and going to work that evening.


In retrospect, while there are a some things conservatives may disagree with President Bush on, I thank God that he was Commander-in-Chief on September 11.