COLUMN: Waiting for the phone call
I am just one of the thousands of people who can personally relate to the tears that are shed, the thoughts that are feared and the painstaking silence that comes from awaiting a phone call when tragedy strikes.
My dad is a police officer for the Department of Defense at the Pentagon. My mom works at the Social Security Administration building in Falls Church, Va., just 15 minutes from the Pentagon. And finally, my sister, Kristy, was in middle school in a suburb 45 minutes south of Washington.
At 8 a.m., my roommate ran into my bedroom alerting me of “a plane crashing into the World Trade Center, a bomb threat and a plane crashing into the Pentagon.”
Immediately, I thought, “My dad works at the Pentagon,” as I raced into the living room to glue myself to what turned out to be seven and one-half hours in front of the television set – live with CNN, Fox, NBC and CBS.
I found myself soaking in as much as I could about this indescribable horror movie.
The phone rang. It was my aunt calling me from California, asking me for my parents’ work and cell phone numbers. Once this was becoming more of a reality, I called all the numbers I had for my parents, and … nothing. I kept getting the sound, “Beep, beep, beep” followed by a message that all lines were tied up.
It hadn’t hit me how close to home this really was for me. From then on, instead of just watching the news, I sat a few inches from the screen, scanning each Pentagon live coverage scene looking for my dad.
It’s indescribable what thoughts go through your head while watching a shattered nation on TV. You wonder how your world could be shattered.
Phone calls flooded in from friends and family while I waited from any type of contact from my dad, mom or sister.
Finally, I heard something. I checked my e-mail at noon and there was a message from my mom. It read: “I am home waiting for Kristy to come home. I haven’t heard from Dad yet. I can’t get through the lines at his work. I tried to call you three times and got cut off. I will call you as soon as I hear anything. Stay calm. Love, Mom.”
A sense of peace came over me knowing my mom was safe and staying strong. I still could not come to grips with what was happening at the Pentagon and how my dad was involved though.
The phone call at 3:30 p.m. brought rest to my wandering imagination of the worst that could happen. My aunt called to reassure me my dad was OK and he would be involved with 72-hour emergency calls and rescue efforts. My dad had been eating lunch in the cafeteria when he felt a jolt. He alerted the Chief and together they began in the rescue efforts that are still taking place.
My eyes swelled up with tears of comfort in knowing everything was going to be OK. I am blessed to know my family is safe and remaining strong. But most of all, this is a time when we all need to unite and keep in our thoughts and prayers all of the families who have been affected by this horrific event.
Jen Brennan is campus news editor of The Utah Statesman
Washington DC traffice comes to a halt after attack. (Knight/Ridder photo)