Jonathan Foer’s character Oskar in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close constantly reminisces about his experience involving September 11th. His vivid details remind me of how little I remember and can describe from that day.
When I reflect on September 11th, that day in particular doesn’t invoke many memories other than an almost desolate classroom and my grandmother picking me up from school at the regular time. When I was walking home with my grandmother she mentioned a bomb to a passing friend, but from her expression I didn’t feel any type of urgency. I can’t recall the rest of that day other than my mom trying to call one of my favorite aunts; from her expression I instinctively hoped everything was all right. Those are all the memories that I can recall from that day; thankfully none of those memories involve a loss.
My most vivid memories of September 11th are the results of its effects. In class one of my friends told us about his uncle, a police officer, who was at the scene. I picture him showing us a picture of a police car covered in rubble and telling us his uncle was okay. I remember teachers asking him numerous questions, which caused me to get more concerned because they seemed worried. Another memory, I recall is the naming of my elementary school to the Raymond York Elementary School. Raymond York was a fire fighter from a firehouse behind the school who died in the tragic event. We walked around the school, like we did for the march of dimes, to honor his name. I remember that day as a somber one with cloudy skies, that made me uneasy.
The memory that entails the most emotion for me from my recollection of the days following September 11th is my older cousin’s recollection. He told me that he was eating lunch with some friends in Guyana and saw the event. He described the silence that ensued with the showing of the footage and everyone’s disbeliefs. From his account I realized the most that September 11th was a serious and tragic day. His recollection of the event was out of his character; he was always joking, but when he described the event he displayed a sense of seriousness. The fact that the event was being shown live in another country also made me feel the importance of the event. I feel that the main reason it took a while for me to grasp the impact of September 11th as a child is that I wasn’t directly touched by it, and I am thankful that I didn’t lose anybody that day.
