(Ifoto: Tom Hannigan / Flickr) Esi siqwenga savela ekuqaleni kwiQuora: Kwakunjani ukuba ngaphakathi kwiZiko lezoRhwebo leHlabathi ngexesha lokuhlaselwa kwe-9/11 ?
Ndafika ndisebenza ngaloo ntsasa kumgangatho wama-77 weWorld Trade Center tower 2 (WTC2) malunga nentsimbi yesi-8: 00 kusasa.Yayiyintsasa eqaqambileyo, entle, kwaye wawunokubona ngathi ubonakala ngonaphakade ngaphandle komgangatho ukuya kwiifestile zesilingi. Inkampani yam ibineeofisi kumgangatho wama-77 nowama-78. Iofisi yam ibiku-77 ijonge iWTC1 (inqaba esemantla).
Ndime epasejini ngaphandle kweofisi yam ndithetha nomntu endisebenza naye, xa ndeva uqhushumbo olukhulu ngo-8: 46 ndaye ndajonga e-ofisini yam (udonga lweofisi yayiliglasi yomgangatho ophahleni) ndabona umngxuma oshiyekileyo Icala elisemazantsi eWTC1. Sasingazi ukuba kwenzeke ntoni. Akukho nxalenye yenqwelomoya ebonakalayo (ibibethe i-WTC1 isuka eMantla- icala elichasene neofisi yam.
Ekugqibeleni igama lihluziwe ukusuka kwenye indawo ukuba yinqwelomoya eyabetha isakhiwo. Sasingazi nokuba yayiyijet yentengiso okanye inqwelomoya yabucala njengeGulfstream. Akuzange kwenzeke nakum ngeli xesha ukuba yayilihlaselo lobunqolobi. Ndicinga nje ukuba yayiyingozi embi.
Ngexesha elithile ndabona abantu bevela emaphethelweni omngxunya oshiyekileyo. Kwakugaleleka umsi, kwaye ngeli lixa andikhumbuli ndibona okuninzi kwindlela yamadangatye, kwacaca ukuba kukho umlilo ovuthayo oqhubeka ngaphakathi ngaphakathi kwesi sakhiwo. Ndabona inani labantu lixhumela ekufeni kwabo, benqwenela ukubaleka kude nobushushu / amadangatye.
Kunzima ukubonisa into endandiyiva ngelo xesha, kuba ndingayichaza njengomothuko kuphela. Ingqondo yakho ayinakuqonda okwenzekayo-phantse imeko yokugcwala. Uyibona ngamehlo akho, kodwa ngandlela thile ukhutshiwe ngengqondo kuyo ngaxeshanye.
Nditsalele umfazi wam umnxeba ndimazisa ngokwenzekayo. Wayehamba nje ephuma ePenn Station esiya emsebenzini. Ndikhawuleze ndamazisa ngale meko, ndamxelela ukuba kungaphelanga mizuzu embalwa kungabakho indyikitya yokufa njengoko abantu befunda ngokwenzekileyo. Ndimqinisekisile ukuba ndilungile, kwaye isakhiwo sam asichaphazelekanga. Ndamxelela ukuba ndiza kuphinda ndimtsalele umnxeba xa ndinako.
Uninzi lwabantu endisebenza nabo baqala ukuphuma kweso sakhiwo kwangoko emva kokuba inqwelo-moya ibethile. Ngenxa yezizathu ezahlukeneyo, ndagqiba kwelokuba ndihlale. Oku bekungenxa yokuba bendikholelwa ukuba yinto eyenzekileyo kwaye andibanga sengozini kwangoko. Ndandiyintloko yetekhnoloji yenkampani yolwazi lwezezimali ngelo xesha. Ngokusekwe kwinto endandiyibona, ndaye ndacinga ukuba inokuba ziintsuku okanye iiveki ngaphambi kokuba sibuyele kwiiofisi zethu, ke zininzi izinto endifuna ukuzenza ukuze imisebenzi ihanjiselwe kwindawo engaphandle kwesiza.
Ngexesha elithile, ndemka eofisini yam ndathatha izithuthi ezizihambelayo zaya kwindawo yethu ukuya kumgangatho wama-78 Sasinegumbi elikhulu lenkomfa apho kunye neprojektha kunye netv yeTV, ke bendifuna ukufumana iindaba ukuze ndibone ukuba kwenzeka ntoni. Ndivule i-CNN. Ulwazi lukhangeleka luluhle kakhulu, kodwa ndaye ndagqiba kwelokuba ndibuyele kwi-77 ndiyokwazisa abantu endisebenza nabo ukuba ndine-TV kumgangatho ongaphezulu ukuba bafuna ukuza.
Ndibuyele eofisini yam ndigqibo founela umama. Imizuzwana embalwa emva kokuxhoma umnxeba nge-9: 03 kusasa, ndaziva ndisiba ndlongondlongo, emva koko ndeva imvakalelo. Ndiyakhumbula ndicinga ukuba esi sakhiwo siza kwehla kwaye sasisiphelo. Impembelelo ibangele ukuba isakhiwo sihambe kakhulu. Yayenzelwe ukuba ijike kwinqanaba elithile njengoko iinqaba kufuneka zikwazi ukumelana nemimoya ephezulu rhoqo, kodwa oku kwakungaphaya kwayo nantoni na endakha ndaziva ngaphambili.
Ekugqibeleni isakhiwo sazinza. Uninzi lwophahla lwalusezantsi, kwaye ndandiwuva umoya ovuthuzayo uphuma ngeefestile kwelinye icala lomgangatho. Oku kuvakale kukuphazamisa ngokungathandekiyo kuba akukho nanye iifestile ezazenzelwe ukuvula i-WTC.
Ngelo xesha ke ngokunyanisekileyo ndandingazi ukuba kwenzeke ntoni. Okumangalisayo kukuba, eyona nto yam yokuqala yokucinga kukuba i-WTC1 yaqhuma ngandlela ithile kwaye oko sasijongana nako yayiyimpembelelo yalonto.
Ndizifumene ndingaphandle kweofisi yam ndinenani labantu endisebenza nabo. Kwakukho iitoni zothuli nenkunkuma emoyeni kwaye umbane wawungekho. Ngelixa ndandigqunywe luthuli namanye amasuntswana, khange ndonzakale. Thina (malunga neshumi lethu) siye saya kwizinyuko ezikwicala ekumntla mpuma wesakhiwo.
Ukufika kwethu kwizinyuko, sabalekela kwabanye abantu ekubonakala ukuba babesehlile kumgangatho wama-78. Elinye ibhinqa lalisikeka kakhulu engalweni. Ngelixa inxeba lalinzima kakhulu, khange libonakale ngathi lisongela ubomi. Kwakukho ingxoxo emfutshane malunga nokunyuka (andikhumbuli ukuba kwakutheni), kodwa umfazi owenzakeleyo okanye umntu awayehamba naye wachaza ukuba wonke umntu ufile kumgangatho wama-78.
Kamva ndafumanisa ukuba i-United Airlines Flight 175 ibijonge kumazantsi mpuma wobuso benqaba, isenza umngxunya osuka kumgangatho wama-78 ukuya kuma-84. Kuyabonakala ukuba igumbi leenkomfa ebendime kulo kwimizuzu nje embalwa edlulileyo ngoku licinyiwe. Ukuba ndaye ndagqiba kwelokuba ndihlale kuma-78 endaweni yokubuyela eofisini yam xa ndenzayo, ngendingasaphili namhlanje.
Ngelishwa, abantu ababini endandisebenza nabo endibajonga njengabahlobo bam bathatha indlela eyahlukileyo ngaloo mini, besuka kumgangatho wama-77 besiya kwiiofisi zabo ngomhla wama-78 ngaphambi kwempembelelo. Andizange ndiphinde ndibabone.
Kubonakala ngathi izigqibo ezingabalulekanga umntu azenzileyo ngala mhla zagqiba ukuba bayaphila okanye bayafa. Iseyinto ekunzima ukuyifumana ngokupheleleyo.
Ndingazi ngelo xesha, unkosikazi wam wayefike emsebenzini kwinkampani yezemali yaseMidtown apho wayesebenza khona, kanye ngexesha lokuhlaselwa kwesakhiwo sam. Iinqaba ze-WTC zazibonakala ngokucacileyo kumgangatho wokurhweba wefemu yakhe. Ngelixa sithethile ngaphambili kwaye wayesazi ukuba ndilungile, oko kwakungaphambi kokuba inqwelomoya yesibini ibethe iWTC2. Wayesazi ukuba ndisese sakhiweni ngelo xesha, kwaye wayesazi ukuba ndisebenza kuwuphi umgangatho, ke ngelo xesha, wayengazi nokuba ndisaphila na.
Nje ukuba singene kwizinyuko zomgangatho wama-77, ndikhumbula ipetroli yejet igalela ezinyukweni. Ndikhankanyile ngaphambili bendikhe ndothuswe ngelo xesha kwaye ndingacingi ngokusengqiqweni. Ndisebenze njengomphathi wempahla kwisikhululo seenqwelomoya iJFK ehlotyeni (ngokungathandekiyo kwiUnited Airlines yazo zonke iinkampani), bendisazi ukuba injani ipetroli. Okwangoku, andinakukwazi ukubeka enye kunye ndenze uqhagamshelo lokuba i-jetliner isandul 'ukungena kwisakhiwo iinyawo ezimbalwa ngaphezulu kwentloko yam kwaye yahlula phakathi, ichithe imixholo yeetanki zayo zombane kumbindi wesakhiwo.
Sathi chu ukwehla kwizinyuko ezingama-77. Umfazi owayendisebenzela ngelo xesha wayenenyanga ezintandathu ekhulelwe, ke sasihamba kancinci ukuze sihlale naye simncede.
Ngexesha elithile, ndikhumbula ndidlula iqela labacimi-mlilo benyuka ngezinyuko. Babenempahla epheleleyo, kwaye babonakala bediniwe kwaye boyika, ukanti baqhubeka badlula kuthi. Kunzima ukubeka ngamazwi into endiyiva ngayo ngabacimi-mlilo abancama yonke into ngaloo mini ukuze bazame ukunceda abanye. Intlonipho iphantse ngokusondela njengoko ndingafumana.
Ekugqibeleni saphuma kwizinyuko saza saya kungena ezivenkileni ezidibanisa isakhiwo seWTC. Ndikhumbula ndicinga ukuba sisaphila kwaye siphuma engozini. Kungelo xesha ke apho ndabona amapolisa okanye abacimi-mlilo besikhwaza besitshangatshangisa ngokungxamela ukuphuma kweso sakhiwo, saza sakhawulezisa.
Siphume e-mall kwikona yomntla-mpuma kufutshane nehotele iMillennium. Besime estratweni kwaye bekusisiphithiphithi. Ndandinomntu endisebenza naye kunye nomphathi wam ngelo xesha. Kwakukho inkunkuma ewayo kwisakhiwo, kwaye umphathi wam wacebisa ukuba siphume kuloo ndawo.
Saqala ukuhamba saya emantla. Sasifumene mhlawumbi iibhloko ezintlanu xa seva ukugquma okukhulu kwaye sabona ilifu elikhulu lothuli emazantsi kuthi, kwicala esalifikile. Ekugqibeleni igama lihluziwe kwisihlwele esithi i-WTC2, apho iofisi yam yayihlala khona, yayiwile nje. Kwakuyinto engaqhelekanga kunye namava e-surreal. Ingcinga zakhukula engqondweni yam, bangaphi abantu abaphulukana nobomi babo? Ndisenomsebenzi? Nokuba uluhlu lwezinto ezazise ofisini yam ezazingasekho.
Amagama endisebenza nawo, endingenakhumbula ukuba atshintshiwe, kwaye ndaye ndagqiba kwelokuba ndihambe ngokwam ndizame ukuya ekhaya kwaye ndifikelele kusapho lwam ukubazisa ukuba ndilungile. Ekugqibeleni ndahamba ngaphaya kwebhulorho iWilliamsburg, ndakhwela ibhasi eBrooklyn isiya eQueens ndaza emva koko ndabeka ifayikhsi eQueens ukuze indise ekhaya ePort Washington, eLong Island.
Ekugqibeleni ndaye ndaya kusapho lwam ngefowuni ukubazisa ukuba ndikhuselekile. Ndathetha nomongameli wenkampani, owayeseFlorida ngelo xesha. Kamva wandixelela ukuba bendithetha ngokukhawuleza okukhulu kwaye ndingenzi ngqondo. Ndiyaqikelela ukuba iziganeko zosuku bezindiphathisile.
Ndafika ekhaya emva kweeyure ezininzi. Umazala wam wayekhona kunye neentombi zam, kodwa umfazi wam wayesazama ukwenza indlela egodukayo. Ndingene ndanga iintombi zam ezimbini ndingazange ndaziwola ngaphambili.
Ukuphumla kobusuku ubukhulu becala bekungumbala. Ndichithe ixesha elininzi emnxebeni ndizama ukuphendula ngabo bonke abasebenzi kwinkampani. Kwakudinisa ngokweemvakalelo, kodwa kwakuyimfuneko, umsebenzi. Ndicinga ukuba ndiwile iiyure ezimbalwa, emva koko omnye wabafana ebendisebenzela wandifunqula saya eFiladelfiya, apho inkampani yam yayineofisi encinci.
Ndikhumbula ukuqhuba ndisehla eBrooklyn Queens Expressway ndidlula kwindawo yedolophu, ndibona umsi omkhulu usenyuka kwindawo yeWTC. Ndiyakwazi ukuyichaza kuphela njenge-surreal.
Ngexesha elithile kuhambo ndafumana umnxeba osuka kwisihlobo somqeshwa owayengekaviwa. Ndizamile ukukhumbula ukuba bendimgqibele nini kwaye ndiphi umntu. Kwakungomnye weengxoxo ezinzima kunye neemvakalelo endakha ndazifumana ebomini bam.
Sifikile ePhiladelphia kamva ngale ntsasa siqinisekisa ukuba sibaphendulile bonke abasebenzi bethu ngokusemandleni ethu, emva koko saqala umsebenzi wokuzama ukuvusa ishishini elalisemathatheni.
Bendingekabinalo ithuba lokuqhubekeka ngokwenzekileyo, kodwa ndiye ndaqonda ukuba ngaphandle kokuba sifike kwangoko emsebenzini, amakhulu abantu azokuphulukana nemisebenzi.
Kwakungekho kamva ngobo busuku xa ndangena ehotele yam, malunga neeyure ezingama-36 emva kokuba konke kuqale, apho ndafumana ithuba lokuvula iTV kwaye ndibukele iakhawunti epheleleyo yeziganeko. Sihleli apho phambi kweTV, kwakungathi kuvulwe isikhukhula, kwaye ingqondo yam ekugqibeleni yayinethuba lokujongana nale ntlekele nazo zonke iimvakalelo ezazihamba nayo.
Ndilahlekelwe ngabahlobo bam abane kunye nabantu endisebenza nabo ngaloo mini abaya kuba sentliziyweni yam ngonaphakade. Ndizama ukuhlala yonke imihla ngokuzeleyo, ukuhlonipha ubomi babo, kunye nobomi babanye ababhubhe ngala mini.
UJonathan Weinberg ngumseki kunye ne-CEO ye AutoSlash.com ,iwebhusayithi ezinikele ekufumaneni abathengi elona xabiso lifanelekileyo kwiirenti zabo zemoto. Ukwangumnikeli weQuora kwaye unokulandela uQuora Twitter , Facebook , kunye UGoogle + .
