911

Talk about triggering memories! 

I just received an email out of the blue from the ex-girlfriend, Cathy Williams of a former client, Karen Pinsky and still friend of mine. The weekend before 911, I spent it with these two beautiful Women in NYC., long before I lived here.

We went to dinner Sunday night September 9th for my Birthday before saying goodbye. I was flying back to San Francisco on Flight 93 on Tuesday September 11th out of Newark as I often did, because it was the first flight out to SFO.

When I got back to the hotel I had also received a huge, really huge arrangement of fresh Birthday flowers from another friend here in NYC who had them sent to my room. I was thinking this is sweet, but what I waste since I am leaving Tuesday.

So since it was about Midnight, (Technically Monday morning September 10th), I called United Airlines and changed my flight to Flight 93 September 10th instead of September 11th. I then took the flowers to the front desk of the W Hotel at Union Square and gave this giant vase to the pretty girl at the front desk. I went upstairs, packed, watched a movie and took off for JFK for my morning flight.

I remember getting home and not calling the office or telling Gretchen or my staff that I had returned a day early. I figured I would nurse my hangover, regroup from my Birthday week and chill for a day which I did!

On the morning of 9/11 my phone was ringing off the hook, message after message from everyone who had my travel schedule and who knew I was to be on Flight 93, telling me to NOT get on the plane etc etc. When I finally answered one of the calls it was Gretchen Sackett, she said where are you? I said in bed in SF why? She said a plane hit the World Trade Center, turn on your TV. I did a moment later and together we watched the second plane hit, the reports about the Pentagon and that Flight 93 was missing.

I remember getting up and walking to my drawing table, found my ticket and the old boarding pass for Flight 93, September 11th in the Folder along with the boarding pass I switched to just 24 hours early.

Boy what powerful memories getting that email a few minutes ago triggered.