I remember exactly where I was this morning 8 years ago: I was driving to my office almost to the minute of writing this post. I did not have the radio on that morning since I was deep in thought about a 9:00 a.m. court hearing that had been pending for several weeks that had important implications to my client who was about to lose his farm – I did not get any sleep the night worring about its outcome.
I remember the parking attendent, Auggie, in my building mentioning that a plane had just hit the World Trade Center in NYC. My family and I ate at the restaurant (Windows on the World) when I was 11 years old, so I had fond memories of the night years ago that our family ate dinner overlooking New York City.
When I reached my office on the 10th Floor of the Security Bank Building, I turned on the radio and listened transfixed for the next 30 minutes to the news that a plane had crashed into one of the towers. It was expected and later confirmed that it was terrorists who perpetrated this horrible act.
As silly as it sounds now, I began looking out the window of my downtown Fresno Office building looking for low flying planes. After that, I hurried off to court to argue the oh so “important” hearing, I remember clearly that no one in the courtroom really knew what had happened (it was still early on the West Coast), so the hearing went forward. The outcome of the hearing was decided in Solomon type fashion – no clear victory; no clear loss.
My sleepless night and worry were as usual in vain because so much of what lawyers do (and can’t do) is already predetermined by the facts of the case or by the ill informed or predetermined decision of the judge — judges are human (and overworked), so their decisions never follow the playbook we think they should.
Later, as I sat at home, watching on TV the images that are now indelibly printed in my memory of that day, I vaguely reflected upon “important” case and my trival worry about its outcome. Instead, the emotions of grief and loss for the victims and our country was overwhelming.
I still remember that day. I remember that case. I remember my tears and grief, and this morning, as I head off to work, I’m reminding myself of the insignificance of my daily worries and anxieties when I think back to September 11, 2001 when time stood still.
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