After September 11, 2001- It was Thursday, September 13, 2001 by the time the vigil in Union Square was in full tilt. Friday morning, September 14thit rained and most people left I wrote that morning: "When the rains came, it chased the vigil people away. I was afraid they would not come back, I would be alone, and the victims forgotten." But they came back as soon as the rain stopped, more than before: and that night, people lit up the entire park as well as the street corners adjacent with candles they brought from home: It was some day after the 18th when they came in the morning and took all the memorials, all the artwork and the posters of the loved ones away, and I don't think I had the heart to take photos of that. I wondered if the people who cared, the vigil people would ever come back. And this year, I woke up on September 11 and saw.... Note the shadows of the buildings first casting from the east then the south then the west There are more and more people coming all day... bringing artwork and banners, leaving chalk to mark the ground with people's feelings. I was watching when a guy turned to me and handed me his chalk and said: "Now you HAVE to." Nothing else. Just "Now you have to." So I did. I wrote this: WE WHO LIVE HERE WILL ALWAYS CARE. And then I drew the World Trade Center, it's basic familiar shape, for the first time and I wrote: I want them back. Then the candles started being lit in circles. I have heard it said that there are no sunsets in New York City. And so it was. And will be. A year later, we still care and everyone still cares about the 2819 people who died at the hands of terrorists, the 403 uniformed city service personnel who died saving 26,000 lives the other 2416 who died either doing their job or trying to help others, their families and their survivors. We care about the 22 US soldiers who have died in Project Enduring Freedom, and all the soldiers from every country who serve, we care about the Afghanis and the Pakistanis we didn't even know before, we feel closer to the Israelis and the people of Oklahoma City, we care about the good and decent Palestinians and Arabs and Muslims whose plight and religion have been perverted and twisted to be used against them. Gone are the flush economic times, the Russian Tea Room, Enron and our ignorance. Back to the caves for the Taliban and Al Queda. Israel and the Jewish population of the world welcomes in a new year and a new day of atonement in relative peace. We go on, we remember, we care and we learn. Most of us now do more with less, appreciate life more. I have made new friends, learned more about the firefighters that are my neighborhood. The firehouse that lost the most people (Rescue 3) is on my block, and I didn't know a single one of them. Selling Ladder 20 t shirts has been a good excuse to meet the firefighters down the street in Soho. I have also been lucky to "meet" people from all over the world who order the shirts, including firefighters from Scotland and France who reach out over the Internet to their brother (and sister) firefighters. I did not go near the firehouse on September 11 2002, but had good reasons and good news to share on September 13, 2002. ...And so I went back to the firehouse for Ladder 20 on September 13, 2002. I had good news to bring them, letters from people who had written to Ladder20.com. Firefighters from Scotland and France who ordered t shirts, people writing from Germany and all the United States with blessings and orders for more than what I have on the page. I printed out the page of notes from overseas (Page 4 on Ladder20.com) because the firefighters at Ladder 20 haven't got much in the way of Internet access. (That's why they have me.) For the French firefighter who sent photos of his helmet and shield, we put it on the front of the firetruck at Ladder 20 to prove I had brought his note to the firehouse. If you are wondering how I got a photo of myself, it's because Chief Chris, who works in administration at the Division 1 headquarters which I didn't realize was upstairs, and Louie and Ed picked up my camera and Chris' and started snapping away. Chief Ed brought out a huge banner made by school kids in Kansas to remember some of the people lost last year. I have to go back to remember which people there were remembering, I think it was the people on flight 93. They were trying to find a way to mount it on the garage door on a windy day. Not easy. Just so you know that they really appreciate the efforts of people who send them these beautiful expressions of love and remembrance. It counts. It helps. It lets them know people remember them. On the right you can see one of the plaster dogs donated to honor the rescue dogs, on the left a pile of flowers and gifts to honor the fallen Ladder 20 people. I learned more about the firehouse, I hadn't noticed that this was also Engine 12. Chris and I talked about setting up a site to remember the people from Ladder 5 and Engine 24 who also died on September 11, 2001 saving lives. Mike, Louis, Chris and Ed- wow I never got them to stand for a photo before! okey I didn't realize how deep that shirt cut before either! ;D At least I got a smile out of Chris Then it was time to go shopping. It turns out that the got some new things in to sell to raise money for the families of the people who died, just in time for me because I needed a new hat! These patches are pretty wonderful too, I grabbed a bunch of them: 343 is the number of Firefighters lost on 9/11/01 Division 1 includes Ladder 20, Ladder 5 and Engine 24. Maybe more, I have to learn how that is set up. Everything is available on Ladder 20.com Then I had to let them go back to work. I said I would see them next week, and I will. I heard they have XXLs in stock again and there are a lot of people who want them. I headed downtown and into Lower Manhattan, the Ground Zero neighborhood. This billboard is right across the street from Ladder 20. I don't know if they agree with the sentiments, but I sure do. I especially like the part at the bottom where it says: "Paid for by an asset management company that would be honored to relocate into the new buildings." And I would be first in line to dine at Windows on the World. A children's store had this in the window. I could not have said it better than this little schoolgirl. or this shop window, I think it was Armani, I will go back and check. So, that is New York City one year after 9/11/01. We're still here, we miss our loved ones and we are better than we ever were. Come visit us, and show your support!

4 NYFD Z3 Ladder 20 T Shirt Order Form~~ Part 1 NYFD Z3 Ts~~ Part 2 Ladder 20~~ Part 3 Engine Company 14~~ Part 4 Messages From Overseas~~

Esmerelda's Home Page