On live today, from Man on the Street

As seen from space

Getting ready for work...watching a live financial show... Man on the Street sending current sites and images to two commentators...Talking about Wall Street...then...Man on the Street cameraman turns camera upwards...

One stops mid-sentence: Wait, what?...Did we just see a stunt?...No, think it is a bomb of some sort...WAIT?...(focus in tight, there, there...) Smoke, look!...Explosion  (Did you see that?!!)...What? See the second tower?...A plane? What you mean there are two planes?...Both towers, smoke and fire?...Oh, dear God, no! NoNoNo......

People start running, some screaming...Get in that door, get out of the smoke!...Confusion

Noise, so much noise...Sirens...

Live TV, from the Man on the Street...Both men find their voices, but there are tears. Screen switches to main news. Their voices are scratchy, confused.

What could they say? What should they say? How could they say it?

How could they say anything then, or in the hours that followed? Or the days? Years? Or over the next 18 years? 

What can we say now?

Even now, looking back, what will anyone say in days, years, decades to come?

The numbers of those exposed to the toxic fallout are about 400,000. Of those 10,000 have registered with World Health to check for cancer. Many have died, and it is predicted that more people will follow as time passes.

Tomorrow is that day, 9/11.

What a Baby Thinks

Have you ever noticed the expression newborn babies have?  Granted, the facial features are flattened, with the nose scrunched a bit, the eyes swollen, and the skin reddened.  No, that’s not what is meant.

New babies peer out at the world with a look of confusion and consternation.  Look at these pictures of my grandson over the weeks following his birth.

I may be asleep, but that doesn't mean I am happy...

This is the internal dialogue I would give the wee little man:  

Who are you?  And what do you want? 

                What the heck am I doing here?!!

Put me back!  Right this instant!  I insist!

                I was just fine where I was.

Who is in charge here?  I insist to speak to someone in charge.

                If I am to stay, give me something to eat.  Immediately!  And it must be fresh!

Don't touch that!  It is mine!  Oh...Oh..alright.  

While I take great liberty with the inner workings of a baby’s thoughts, I believe this would be pretty accurate.