as a child, i always remembered hearing…”where were you when kennedy was shot?” (naming the most popular off the top of my head) to which the adult next to me would quickly respond “oh, i was at so & so; doing such & such.” what? you remember where you were…what you were doing? i used to think that was so weird. then, you age…wonderful things happen, horrible things happen. & not always just to you, but to the whole world. & looking back, this week especially, i get a chill remembering…where i was & what i was doing.
i remember watching a young, beautiful girl named diana become a princess in 1981; the year that ‘video killed the radio star’ would air on a music television channel. holy cow, i was like 5, but i remember watching that magnificent wedding on television with my mother. the drama of it all; that dress that went on for miles. that was the day that i too, wanted to be a princess. i would also watch in horror in 1997 at my best friend, mac’s house (during an episode of ‘saturday night live’) as the live coverage, or rather aftermath, would report that this princess had been fatally killed in a car accident. (her eldest would marry his princess in this past year…& i can proudly say, dorkily or not, in the wee hours of the morning, i witnessed that via tele as well)
MTV, you know, that music channel that i mentioned, would become virtually the voice of my generation. the airing of michael jackson’s ‘thriller’ & the band aid release of ‘feed the world’ are the two that really stick out (but there others if i thought about it). counting down the days & being so excited alongside my big sister. a channel that plays music videos all the time? am i dreaming? (chuckle) *i heard the news of m.j.’s passing en route to derby practice in 2009 on npr & could not believe it!*
i remember being in school on january 28th, 1986 getting ready to watch the first teacher in space aboard the space shuttle challenger. my sister had celebrated her birthday the day before, but on that day was at home sick. the excitement built amongst my classmates & then the craziest thing ever. it just blew up! i remember silence & bewilderment & the tears of my teacher.
also in 1986…oprah winfrey! i knew she was different & exciting & new. what i didn’t know was how she would change everything for me & truly, women everywhere. i adore her to this day. she is amazing (for reals) & has been a huge inspiration in my life!
the 1990s would definitely bring interesting headlines…mandela was freed. i didn’t really understand the reason why he’d been in jail to begin with at the time (southern girl, remember?!) but later would realize the magnitude of this incredible man. in ’91, some of my friend’s parents were being sent over to operation desert storm. i wasn’t scared; didn’t have a reason to be, my parents weren’t very political (& what my pops knew from news reports he didn’t discuss around us kids) i was just sad because their dads &/or moms were having to go away for a while.
lorena bobbit? remember that mess? (1993) how about oj simpson’s double homicide? “allegedly” totally monopolizing tv as we knew it…& sadly overshadowing the horrendous genocide going on in Rwanda in ’94.
in 1994, i also remember being in some history class, i think, there was a coach as a teacher, so yea…probably history of some sorts. it was first period & we were watching ‘channel one’ on the tv after the morning news. so here i am, in a portable, watching lisa ling, & the news of the day was that kurt cobain was dead. huh? all the girls sporting flannel in my class burst into tears. it was sad. i was just sad. not a super huge nirvana fan at that time & place, but stunned….& sad. all i could think was, doesn’t he have a little baby?
i would also find a voice that i’d never heard before in the late 90’s. elizabeth glaser opened my eyes about AIDs…my brother, Charles, would help me use said voice after he passed in 1998, but that’s a story for another day.
the president, my man bill, would meet scandal & then some (& then some!) in ’98. another case of “let’s take this headline & run for it.” a man whose credibility would be tarnished by misfortunate personal accounts while the world watched. a great president, nonetheless…we can agree to disagree, right?! “talk amongst yourselves.” (i still love you, mr president!)
i remember getting married in 1999, but not before some knuckleheads went psycho on a high school named columbine or the former president (where were you?) kennedy’s son, john john, died in a plane crash.
so, the years that follow this timeline will create their own memorable, pretty, ugly, scandalous moments for all of us. but this week, in the gut of every american’s being, will live that day. & where were you when that plane crashed into the twin towers? what were you doing on “9/11?”
i know exactly where i was. & where every single person that i loved most in my life was!
i was working for a veterinarian & we had an unusual skeleton crew that day. one of the doctors was at a conference, but we were open in the morning & expecting a doc in the afternoon. jack’s dad came in (i don’t remember the owner, just the dog) to get the malteses’ prescription & asked if we knew what was going on. um, what’s going on? he asked if we had a television. sure, the main doctor had one in his office…but why? “turn it on…now. & get somewhere safe!” (then he left.)
what the hell? i immediately flee to the office & flip on the tele…2nd plane is crashing! (i didn’t know there was a first!) & the phone starts ringing off the hook. cancelled afternoon appointments left & right. people were scared. was i scared? i didn’t know what to think…what was happening? then, it occurs to me…my parents are in freaking
mexico! holy crap, my sister is in bethlehem, pennsylvania…& didn’t a plane just go down in PA?? worst…useless…twilight zone feeling ever! it was madness. i spoke with the hubs (who was working at the zoo at the time) & got in touch with my sister (thank goodness!). my parents were unable to leave their destination as they had planned for a couple of days, but i just kept thinking that maybe they’d be safer there? i didn’t really know why…but i kept telling myself that!
i was sick. the world was spinning & i had no idea how to make it stop. i wanted some reassurance. by that day’s end, the government had a “name” behind all of this devastation. are you kidding me?
as everyone knows, what would follow (& still today…10 years later) would be uproars in airports, (even more) racial profilingwar! & i totally have a soft spot for all who have served, lost those who have served, or are serving. i appreciate it, guys, i do…but the peaceful old school chick in me hates it all the same.
life goes on. it does. high stakes or under the radar. we have to continue through tabloids & deaths & reality star lockups & major world upsets (not to mention every day life). we gotta push through…what other choice do we have?
& for the record, i am never scared to get on a plane; except for the man who is about to tackle me because of my 1 oz lipgloss or the miami peeps who have something to prove & will fuss at you in spanish for not removing your shoes fast enough! (dammit, that will not stop me from flying!)
the world keeps turning, crazy things are gonna happen; good & bad, positive & negative. it puts things in perspective, for sure. i guess i’ll just kiss loved ones more often…hug monkey a little bit longer. & if you survive (which you have to this point) you’ll be able to share your story…where you were & what you were doing!
