I have a hard time answering this as well. I was working in a dr's office at the time, and when I came in at 8:30 I hadn't heard any news yet that AM. The horrified tearstained looks on my coworkers faces were such a shock. They had the office stuff under control so I went to the breakroom and watched the news coverage and kept them updated. I was watching when the 2nd plane hit, and when the towers went down. It made me sick at my stomach. I knew immediately that we were now at war, whether it was declared or not.

I had driven in on fumes that morning because I was running late and planned to fill up at lunch. By the time I got my break, mass panic had broken out. Lines of cars were out into the street at every gas station, and many pumps were out of gas. I drove all through town and finally managed to fill up at a station on the outskirts near my home, and only because I had a 4x4 and could drive over the curb to get in line and back out into the street. The police were pulling up just as I left, for crowd control.

What I really remember though, is the unity immediately afterward. Do you remember all the politicians standing on the capitol steps singing "God Bless America"? Now the name of God is politically incorrect again, and I imagine some of those in that group would like to deny even being there. I'm struck often by how soon we, as a people, do forget.