A View From The Top

When I was in college in New Hampshire, a few friends and I decided to make a trip to NYC over the Thanksgiving break. It was bitterly cold, and being from Texas, I was not in posession of a very good winter coat. I was wanting to stay inside as much as possible and there was no argument from the rest of the group. Most of the guys had never been to NYC before, so we were stuck doing the usual touristy things - which really are mandatory on your first visit. Since I had grown up in NY and had relatives in the city, I had already done everything we ended up doing. The only thing I hadn't done was visit the observation deck of the World Trade Center.

Being fairly terrified of heights, I agreed to go to the top of the building, but not onto the roof. However, being with a group of boys for whom exploiting one's worst fears is their idea of rollicking good fun, I found myself forced onto the escalator leading to the outside deck. I never did end up near the railing, but I could see plenty from the wall to which I stuck as if my back were made of wet cement.

Thoughts of the apocolypse are not far from anyone's mind when they're staring out from atop one of the tallest buildings in the world. Perhaps there is a primogenitive fear of the consequences of the Tower of Babel. My mind went nuclear immediately and I saw a ball of fire rise from the edge of the world, and engulf the twinkling lights below. I was happy to leave.

My father said once that he didn't like the World Trade Center. I asked him why and he said they were too big a target. I'll admit I was a bit of a daddy's girl, but I still think he had second sight.




Evil is powerless if the good are unafraid

- Ronald Reagan


"Burn my Flag and I will shoot you........but I'll shoot you with a lot of love, like a good American".

-Johnny Cash, American entertainer, country music legend.


The battle is now joined on many fronts. We will not waver; we will not tire; we will not falter; and we will not fail. Peace and freedom will prevail.

-President George W. Bush
October 7, 2001