[Medusa]

I worked for US Airways at the Little Rock airport at the time and was 5 hours into what would end up being a 70-hour shift.

I was in my office closing out a flight when one of my baggage agents came screaming through the back door. His name was Herman. He was big and he was crying like a baby.
I jumped up out of my chair and started yelling for him to tell me what was wrong when the phone rang. It was air traffic control telling me to close the counter, close the gate, close everything. My other line was beeping and it was corporate telling me that "Someone is blowing up New York City" and to shut it all down.

I walked out to the ticket counter and the airport was buzzing with people on their cell phones, people holding laptops. Loud speaker announcements. Every TV tuned in. I saw the second plane hit on the ticket monitor above my head. People were screaming. Sirens were sounding.

I heard a loud crash at the back of the ticket office and ran through the security door to see what it was.

"My MOM is in New York City for a conference." It was Matt, one of my gate agents. I remember how white his lips were, I think he was in shock.

I barked orders for the next 5 hours.

Get these people a blanket.
No, you can't use the phone.
We aren't rebooking anyone.
Close the baggage door.
Call pilot control.
Get me every bag of chips and sandwich you have from the planes and give it to these people.
Find this lady's bag.
Call this gentleman a cab.


We had 140 people standing at our ticket counter wanting to be rebooked, wanting to cancel flights, wanting to know what we knew.
The printer was shitting out messages at a furious pace.

"Flight 112, Cancelled."
"Flight 73, Cancelled."
"Flight 3306, Cancelled."
"All flights cancelled until further notice."
"Airport closed"
"Reservation center closed"

I stood at the ticket counter until 10am the next day helping people. 25 hours solid with only 3 short bathroom breaks. When my body finally revolted, both of my legs cramped up and Herman, who was also still there, had to help me walk back to my office.

I slept for 2 hours and went back to work.

They closed the airport and we all waited, watched tv, and tried to call everyone we knew to see if they were ok. I ended up being on shift for 70 hours before running out for toilet paper, drinks, and deodorant for our people working there.

I slept on a tiny loveseat in my office all that week.

I remember people's faces so clearly. Scared shitless. Shock. Anger. Despair. It was fucking palpable.

Even as I write this, my heart is beating fast so I can't even imagine the level of trauma and fear that those poor people felt. It was all so senseless. So hateful.

Such terrible things we human beings do to one another.