September Eleventh

17 Saint Marks Place was my home. It became “The Frozen Zone,” after we were attacked on September Eleventh.

My neighbor, David, knocked on my door, terrified. I took him to the bodega on the corner of 2nd Avenue and 9th Street. We didn’t know how long the attacks were going to last.

I remember the streets being quiet, strangely quiet.

At Veselka Cafe, people were sitting outside, enjoying breakfast, on a beautiful morning. As I walked out of the bodega with David, we noticed there were no cars, no buses, no cabs.

Headed home, we crossed the street. I remember the exact moment we saw the diners at Veselka Cafe confront the new reality we were still trying to process, as thousands of people, covered in dust, seemed to appear out of thin air, moving swiftly north on 2nd Avenue.

My life in New York City was over. I didn’t know it, at the time. It took me 4-years to admit my life was over in New York City. My career vanished. I couldn’t find steady work. I couldn’t forgive myself for not being able to find steady work.

I spent my remaining years as freelancer. Incidentally, freelancer is another word for zombie.

In 2004, I moved to Chicago to open a restaurant with my brother. I’m grateful to the Midwest. But I will spend the rest of my life homesick. Turns out, 17 Saint Marks Place was more than my home. It was my heart.

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37 Responses to September Eleventh

  1. Andy says:

    I find it astonishing that on a day such as this, you are so egocentric and self-delusional that you make it all about Greg. This is clearly a day that the neo-conservatives won by allowing the dirty towel heads to strike our great country. A few had to perish, but a great nation had to be saved. Today is a day to pay thanks, not to Greg, but to President Bush and Vice-President Cheney, for making the most difficult call of all times: to allow an attack for the good of the country.

    Any idiot, even Carter, would have pulled the trigger on Osama. That was easy. What Cheney and Bush did was beyond heroic, it was epic. But for these great leader, these terrorists would rule the world by now. Instead, they have to run and hide in their dirty night shirts like the rats they are.

    • Gregor says:

      Dear Andy or Prop8Andy or FakeAndy,

      First of all, I want to acknowledge how funny you are. I laughed. I laughed my ass off. Best part of all, I was laughing at myself.

      Sometimes I’m amazed by how quickly sadness is replaced with laughter. I felt a genuine sadness as I was writing this. But as the day hummed along, I was struck by how quickly the sadness passed.

      Maybe it’s a sign we’ve moved on, not in an unhealthy way, since we all take a moment to reflect. But you can’t live your life passing out roses and looking for morose opportunities to win the trophy for “Pity Party Champion of the Universe.”

      Incidentally, that trophy is held by Sylvia Plath, with the runner-up being Kurt Cobain.

      Happy September 11th, everyone!

    • steven says:

      The neoconservatives planned the attack (read Project For A New American Century, the blueprint is right there). Look who signed the document, and blamed it on “the dirty towel heads.” 11 years later, hundreds of thousands of “dirty towel heads” are dead. Plus 10000 soldiers, 50000 maimed or have ptsd. I can not think of a country Iran has ever attacked. Netenyuha will do everything he can to make sure Obama gets reelected. One thing I do give Obama credit for is standing up to Israeli Influence way more than Romney will. For that reason alone, I may get off my ass and vote for Obama (since I am in a swing state, Florida). A soldier commits suicide everyday. And yes, people like Greg had their livelihood ruined: economic ruin is destroying somebody’s life, there are probably thousands of people who lost their livelihood after 911. We take firing people way to lightly. Watch this video. See how the king of neoconsevatives (Bill Kristol) blushes when confronted about 911. Sometimes body language tells alot.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcUh1tFOoiw

  2. Babs says:

    Most normal folks relate to this day by remembering exactly where they were when we were attacked. How they felt, how they feel. Andy, you are an insufferable fool!

  3. Andy says:

    I didn’t fucking write that does that sound like me??? This blog needs to have user sign ins it’s going down the toilet.

  4. Babs says:

    Kinda does sound like you. Sad, huh!

  5. Vince says:

    At least Andy says what is really on their minds, finally. Say what’s inside, it will release you, go ahead. I dare you.

    • Andy says:

      What, you think you can use your lawya pie hole to chase me out of the bushes? And that was not a pun. While it is true that I am more than happy that the filthy sociopaths dirty night shirts carrying their Muslim slime books are dying at a face pace, I do not credit this shitbag of a president. He is doing all he is capable of, which amounts to nothing but collecting a government check and preaching to his followers.

      The master plans set into place by the great President Bush is what got Osama and what continues to this day to rid this planet of the dirt they call radical muslims. And I think that the man Greg calls president is a muslim.

      But that last post was not me. The one about the sign ins. Makes no sense. Doesn’t even sound like me.

  6. Billy says:

    I agree with Andy.

  7. Andy says:

    Yea Vince tell us what you think of the goy. Let it out!

  8. Vince says:

    The goy?
    Do you mean me?
    I don’t understand.
    Are you saying that non-Jews-pigs?
    Andy, that’s what you said, right?

  9. Vince says:

    You don’t answer. So I understand what you mean. The goy are persecuted. The goy are people all, who, through their efforts, become of some Jewish culture. They almost get in, but on some level, they are called the GOY for that.

    That’s life. It should only be that bad for all repressed people.

    Mazel Tov, dick head.

  10. Vince says:

    Andy, unlike you, I don’t need to fit in. I make my own space.

  11. Peter says:

    I don’t understand what is going on in the comments. Sorry.

    I like the blog post. I was there. I had an apartment very close. I had to move out. It was covered in a dust that wouldn’t give up.

    Unfortunately for me, I’m sick now.

  12. harris says:

    I like this post. I wish it mentioned instant militarized different zones. 14th street was one zone that was set up with national guard and police that you couldn’t pass. Canal Street was another. And then the first time we heard the word Taliban. T-A-L-B-A-N? T-A-L-I-who. Who are these fucking douche bages whose cheap timex watches have their dates set to 500 years ago?

  13. Billy says:

    Andy, did you see the film that depicts Mohamad as a child molesting murderer? Its a true story and it pissed of the towel heads. Those animals killed our ambassador and Obama condemns the film, not the Arabs. Andy you are right on man. You should start making your own posts on Greg’s blog. Fair and balanced, Greg.

    • Gregor says:

      In private, I offered Andy a blog. Allow me to repeat the offer, in the light of day: Andy, while it’s more than apparent I don’t particularly agree with your point of view, I do, however, respect your passion for the things you believe in, consequently I’d like nothing more than for you to be a regular blogger on Family Values with an Oy Vey.

  14. Jeff says:

    The reality is that they Lebanon attack was planned for a long time. You will see, all of these new “democracies” are going to “vote” in radical, USA hating governments. And we are fooled by this shit over and over again. And you have Obama being just plain stupid to think they are going to get a new government that is free and like America and western values. Egypt, Syria, Lebanaon, Iraq, Packistan etc. etc. etc.

    Obama is busy building a new Arab jihad movement. We give more than a billion dollars per year to Egypt, now to the Muslim Brotherhood, so they can kill us. Great plan.

    Nuke them all, make the world a better place and free oil forever.

  15. Vince says:

    I saw the 15 minute trailer. It is a terrible, lower than low budget film that would be bad even if an eight year old did it. Some nut put this joke on YouTube and the extremists are using it as an excuse to cause big problems. Even a fool wouldn’t blame Americans for anything here. It’s an excuse.

  16. Babs says:

    It is for sure an excuse. Osama Bin Ladens buddy Al Zawahiri called for his brand of muslim extremists to attack American interests in the middle east beginning on 9/11. Before we condemn all Middle Eastern people we must remember these are fledgling governments. 1776 began our democratic democracy, and we are not quite there yet!!!

  17. vince says:

    Isn’t is arrogant of us to think that the entire world had to be modeled after our system of government? It works for us, mostly (or at least it used to). Perhaps some cultures are best left to their own devices. You can’t force peace and democracy with a gun. We have meddled and proped up governments for our own prospective gains. I am certainly not saying that the attacking extremists are even close to right. I’m saying that we have helped move that region into total chaos and helped escort the few leaders that kept some control over the crazy people.

  18. steven says:

    this is why this is happening in the middle east

    right from israel newspapers

    looks like obama actually did something good. Although he is appealing a judges decision to strike down the NDAA..

    http://hinterlandgazette.com/2012/09/israeli-pm-benjamin-netanyahu-sabotage-obama-reelection-bid-bully.html

  19. Jeff says:

    Steve, wake up. You are quoting extremely fringe and wako blogs. Blog Steve. It like you would say Andy had a post and refer it to someone else as proof of your crazy point. You need help. I’m sorry for you. Good luck. If you need, call me. You can get back up brother. Don’t beleive the hype.

  20. Vince says:

    If the Occupy movement had 1/10th of what the Muslims are displaying around the world in protest to Western policies, Occupy would be occupying the white house.

  21. Billy says:

    Andy, isn’t Vince just another Muslim sympathizer, like Obama, who blames America for the world’s problems. Another diaper doper baby in love with the animals in the dirty pajamas.

  22. vince says:

    I sympathize with everyone. I’m a lawyer. I sympathize with Andy for being slightly retarded; it ain’t easy. I sympathize with Steve for thinking the world is stacked against him. I sympathize for Greg for waking up to make the bagles. I sympathize with Joey for cooking over a hot stove all day. I sypathize with Muslims for clinging to a religion for answers. I synpathize with Christians for clinging to a religion for answers. I sympathize with guns who get bad raps when its really the bullets that do all the killing.

  23. Andy says:

    To be cursed by the devil is the ultimate compliment. It was made clear a few blogs ago what I’ve been saying all along Vince-you’re a PWL. Go back to sleep in your segregated neighborhood while preaching diversity.

  24. Vince says:

    Because you think I do well, you think I am what you want me to be, in your mind.

    Like all stupid republicans, ass hole, truth is not your focus.

  25. Andy says:

    You don’t do anything well but swindle let me make that clear. You’ve been proven a PWL. The People rest.

  26. Andy says:

    Yea I’d be in trouble Greg not only would I have to tend to years of shit house lawyer tactics but he’s also is a championship basketball coach. Although his teams aren’t very diverse.

  27. vince says:

    Tick tock, get up, don’t stop, keep rock’en.

    We need a new post!

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