It's been quite a day

[Tom Dickson]

Carol,

   Thank-you so much for your candid, heart-felt description of your "day".

   I live in Canada's prairies, but I must tell you that the radio 
descriptions, and the TV coverage, were sickening to me.  It is difficult 
for me to imagine the impact this must have on people like you - people so 
close to the disaster.

   It is impossible for me to grasp the type of mind that could conjure such 
an atrocity, and it is infinitely more difficult for me to imagine the type 
of people who would be drawn to this sort of affront to all reasonable 
people, and who would then carry out this plan.

   You say "I had no personal reason to hate an
enemy; but today many of my neighbors and I  were all reconsidering..."   I 
really believe that things have changed for all of us.  But, my most present 
concerns are for the folks directly impacted by this sensless tragedy.

    In our town, they are calling for blood donations which may help in the 
aftermath in New York and Washington.  I believe I'll make some time 
tomorrow to donate.

    Bless you all!

Sincerely,
Tom Dickson
Regina, SK






>From: "Carol R. Beigel" <crbrpt@bellatlantic.net>
>Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org
>To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
>Subject: It's been quite a day
>Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 22:15:14 -0400
>
>I was already on my way to my first call today when I turned on the radio 
>to
>hear the traffic report.  The first plane had already hit the World Trade
>Center and I envisioned some little piper cub off course.  Then the next 
>one
>hit and they were diverting the air traffic from New York to Washington,
>D.C.  After a few moments, I just couldn't bear thinking of what Mahattan
>was like so I turned off the radio.
>
>I cannot begin to describe all the thoughts going through my mind.  It
>somehow felt unamerican to proceed to work, yet at the same time it felt
>unamerican not to try to act normal.  As I walked through the door of my
>first tuning appointment today, I was informed that the Pentagon had been
>hit.  Now it was personal as this is my town.
>
>Both the client and myself had loved ones downtown.  There was another
>hijacked plane still in the air and it was 15 minutes from the Washington,
>D.C. area.  We were located between Camp David and the Capitol.We both
>thought the plane should be shot out of the air even though we could be
>under it. It s amazing how calm you get waiting for a plane to crash when 
>it
>is heading for you.  I kept thinking how glad I was that my family was
>scattered all over town - that no matter what happened they wouldn't get 
>ALL
>of us!  Yet at the same time, you are grieving for the people on that 
>plane.
>Within moments, the plane crashed into a mountain far away.  I hope when 
>the
>facts come out, if they ever do, that we find out more about the pilot, 
>crew
>and pasengers who sacrificed their lives to save some of ours here in
>Washington, D.C.
>
>I cancelled all the rest of my tunings today, and headed home.
>Unfortunately, the cell phones were not working and the land lines were
>jammed, so I could not inform anyone they were cancelled!  The powers that
>be were begging people to stay off the phone lines so they could be used 
>for
>all the emergencies that needed tended to.  It is  hard to describe the
>incredible calm and bonding of the strangers around you when you can't go
>anywhere or talk to anyone, by telephone.
>
>I think a state of shock can bring out the best in people.  Everyone I met
>today, both in traffic and the grocery store and bank, was going out of
>their way to be patient and accomodating. People were actually car-pooling
>with strangers to get out of town in the horrendous traffic.   In my
>lifetime as an American, I really felt I had no personal reason to hate an
>enemy; but today many of my neighbors and I  were all reconsidering!  My 
>own
>estimate is that more Americans died today than died during the 10-year war
>in Vietman.  I hope to heaven I am wrong.
>
>It was of some comfort to me later today, to go prep some Disklaviers.
>Listening to the music of gondolas on the  sample disk reminded me the 
>world
>does not have be like this.
>
>I do not know for sure, but I think we piano tuners in the Washington, D.C.
>area are okay.  But I wish I could say the same for those in Manhattan.
>Anybody hear anything?
>
>Carol Beigel
>
>


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