I remember where I was when the Twin Towers were hit. Everyone does. A colleague had driven me to collect my car from the mechanic. We both watched the news coverage in the waiting room. Different nationalities milled around, including the local people. There was uniform horror as it sank in that this was no accident. It was around 6pm our time. We were both working in aviation and we simply could not believe our eyes. Later when we talked on the phone, we actually wondered if we would have a job the following day. We were living in an Arab land, and contrary to media coverage, that day there was no rejoicing on the streets. There was stunned silence.
The world changed that day, and everyone in my country of residence knew it. Arab clients wondered how I would react to them. “Are you leaving us?” “No”. Many thousands of expatriates did, and meanwhile we worked day by day with the consequences of airlines going bankrupt, people panicking and leaving the entire region.
Things moved on in aviation, but the paradigm of life shifted permanently. Ordinary Arabs were nervous. Three years after the event, a customer told me how he had applied to study in Britain, but then backed out, because he was frightened English people would label him a terrorist and attack him. A talented lawyer, he is still in his home country.
I suspect we will always remember this date. Life will be either “pre” or “post”. There are no more Songs of Innocence, only of Experience.
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