Originally posted by phil
I was probably a touch over sensitive Martin - but my mother was in M & s that day working - and the bomb went off just outside, minutes after the building was evacuated. We all like to take the piss so no offence taken.As for New York - I've just got back from 8 days in NY and Washington - and I can tell you the atmosphere is still a little tense. The NY skyline is very different - but the people were very welcoming to Brits
Thanx for your acknowledgement Phil - hope the misunderstanding has been cleared up then. I think what I was getting at was, when some major shit disaster event has occurred, the only thing we can do to try and come to terms with it is by cracking a wry one or two - in the vain hope that it breaks the otherwise tense atmosphere. Although in hindsight, mine was little over-egged, I stand by my belief that Man Utd jokes are allowed- cos I despise them - my opinion of course. Remember when Princess Diana was killed? You're not telling me there weren't loads of sick jokes flying around in the wake of that event?
Anyway, it's heartening to hear of your US trip - believe me, when that shit happened, I freaked out, I mean I was actually planning on going back to NY this year - I usually alternate between NY and Amsterdam - as part of my annual sabbatical just to escape the bloody endless Fireworks going off here in Blighty. My last NY trip was 1997, so I had planned on returning this autumn, cos I really love the place. Anyway, when it all blew up, I was devastated. It takes a lot to shock me nowadays, with all the shit and violence everywhere, you become blase about it all, but this thing really shook me up - cos it was REAL - not some shitty disaster film. I went up those towers - took the photos, everything, during my last stay. Loved every minute of it. So you can imagine how I felt when I saw them collapsing on TV. My blood went cold. I was so upset I was in tears - it was truly traumatising. Even now, two months on, whenever that horrible sequence is replayed on the news, and you see all those people shocked and in tears (even blokes), it really does me in.
That's why I couldn't go back again this year - it's changed forever now. Its very sad. But it's scary too. All I have now are the memories - the photographs, but still cursing the blown opportunities now for more pics if I had managed to get back there. You know that sort of feeling...
Perhaps one consolation, apart from the undying resolve and determination of New Yorkers to get on with their lives in the face of such adversity (and these fucking anthrax scares don't help either) to which they deserve the fullest credit, is that, unlike most US cities, New York's Manhattan possesses TWO hearts - one in Downtown, the other in Midtown. Only one was shattered that fateful September Tuesday, the other, in Midtown, thankfully still stands intact - and will hopefully continue to beat loud and proud. Like I said, I love NYC. And I WILL go back there again sometime, maybe next year or whenevr I can do so.
I'd better stop now before I start getting tearful again....