September 11, 2001

 

“The Day the Dolphins Played”

      When 911 occurred, I was vacationing with my family in Puerto Penasco, Mexico.  We as Americans, know it as Rocky Point.
It's Arizona's answer to having a beach, only a few hours away. My husband, myself and two adult sons were enjoying our time in the sun. This was our fifth vacation to this same spot.
    I remember the last morning we were there. We had rented a condo on the beach and were sitting and relaxing by the calm Sea of Cortez.  I watched dolphins swim by, frolicking like children, unaware of us. I remembered thinking, what a beautiful world we live in.
    The beach has always been my favorite place to go. Born in Redondo Beach, CA and later on, raised by the Cape at the Jersey Shore, I have always had sand in my blood.
    When it was time to go, we packed up and headed for Old Town, to buy last minute gifts. We brought a cooler to bring fresh fish to my in-laws, once we returned.
    We ate lunch at our favorite restaurant, "The Blue Dolphin" and vaguely I remembered our friendly waiter was extra quiet this day. It was almost as if his friendliness was forced.
    As we crossed the  border, our car was checked for unlawful items, but this time they were really thorough. They checked the carved trunk I had purchased and everything else I had put  in there.
    A few miles down the road, we were stopped again, by the US Military. I thought this was way out of the norm, until my son noticed the American Flag was flying half-Mast.
    My vague feelings were no more. Something definitely was wrong and no one was saying anything. We didn't ask the stoic guard one single question.
    My husband, who never used the radio, was playing his 50's CD's all the way home. We chatted, sang and talked all the way, in between rest stops. A few hundred miles later, we arrived at my in-laws with the fresh fish we had promised them.
    Dad opened the door and his face was ashen.
    "What is wrong?"
    "Hurry! It's all over the news!"
    At 4 PM in the afternoon of September 11th, we learned of the devastation that was committed against our homeland.
    My youngest son recalled the last shop he was in, buying his last minute gifts. He saw a television in the back of the store. He witnessed planes flying into buildings and saw people running. He thought it was a movie and the excitement of the Spanish store owners he thought was  their approval of what they were watching. He was so wrong.
    We were completely ignorant and protected from the outside world. I never bought a newspaper because I couldn't speak or read any Spanish. My husband knew very little Spanish and he never heard anything at the Blue Dolphin to cause alarm.
    Up to this point, we were Americans enjoying our freedom. Now, abruptly it had changed. I dreaded taking my children to the airport to fly home. I begged them to change their flights. I prayed until they landed in Philadelphia and were safe.
    After, 911, I never took my freedom for granted again. My yearly trips back east are not the same. Traveling will never be the same and we must be forever vigilant.
    I was lucky that I didn't lose a relative or friend that day. Many have lost their families and friends and  will never be the same. My heart goes out to all of them.
    I remember my father-in-law, who at eighty-five years, say to us, "I served in World War 11. This wasn't supposed to happen! What has happened to our country?"
    Ten years later, I am still questioning, why. I as an American will always be vigilant. It will never be a simple world again. I truly know this.
      I will never again become as complacent as I was on that fatal September Day.  The sky was blue and the dolphins played like children. It was a time of peace.