The first week of September 2001, I was presented with two possible assignments by an IT recruiter. One was a short-term (4-5 week) project working for the Port Authority of NJ & NY, at the WTC. The other, a four to six-month position at a logistics firm located in Parsippany, NJ (in the heart of NJ's silicone valley). Both projects started on Monday, September 10.
I took the latter, despite the fact that it paid less and required that I work a shift from 6 AM to 2:30. But, it would keep me busy into the late Winter or early Spring.
The first day on the job, I was told to expect a large file transfer, every morning, from the firm's office at the WTC, no later than 9:30 AM. On the second day at work, the WTC file did not arrive on time. I waited until 9:45, and then called the 'Trade Center office to find out what the holdup was. I got an automated reply, stating that "all circuits were busy". I tried again at 10:00 AM, and then called my supervisor. My supervisor wasn't in his office.
I then decided to make myself a coffee, and as I walked into the coffee room, I saw that it was empty....given that it was break-time, I thought that unusual. As I was walking back to my office in the basement, I encountered a colleague, the very one that I was supposed to route the large WTC file to. As I began to explain why it was late, he looked at me as though he'd encountered a lunatic, and replied "My God, haven't you heard? The 'Trade Center's been hit by an airliner! Everyone's in the cafeteria, watching CNN".
I rushed into the cafeteria, and found literally the entire office staff watching the big screen projection TV that was in there. I came in just as they were replaying the collapse of the South Tower....
Later, as I drove home at 2:30 PM, I could see the plume of smoke from the WTC fire on the Eastern horizon, some 35 miles away. The roads were eerily empty....