September 11th

It’s not news to me that my long term memory isn’t great. I don’t remember 9/11. I don’t remember where I was, what happened. I know I was in school... and that’s about it. Sometimes I wish I remember more. People ask, and I don’t know. But the school I was at is only 18 miles away (as the crow flies), so based on reports, we would have seen the smoke, and maybe it’s good I don’t remember that. I’m not sure.

What I do remember is how many classmates I had throughout the rest of my education in New Jersey who lost a parent on September 11th. I didn’t lose anyone that day. I was certainly close enough to the towers to have, but I didn’t. I know I don’t know what that feels like. But I know there are over 3000 graves that bear September 11, 2001 as someone’s last day of life, and I know some of the offspring of those people, and that’s enough.

It’s enough that I remember. It’s enough to make me cry when I think about it, every year.

I don’t think it’ll matter how many years go by, because I think I’ll always picture one of my classmates from a few years later. One child whose father never came home that day.

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I'm a big baseball fan, so I'm going to say this too. MLB announced at 4:30pm this afternoon that the Mets and Yankees would wear first responders caps during the game tonight for the first time since 9/11/2007. We've already heard MLB statistics meet that of the 2001 MLB season, such as when the Mets had their Covid outbreak and did not play for a number of days. It was the first time during the season the Mets hadn't played for five days since the days following 9/11.

Now watching the game... I can't tell you just how it makes me feel to see NYPD and FDNY among others on the black caps on the Mets hats. It's a sweet joy that can't be explained. Jacob deGrom (the star Mets pitcher, if you're not a baseball fan), is on the mound in the state of New York (in Buffalo, not NYC, but still New York) wearing an NYPD cap and it's beautiful.

Next year, on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, MLB announced that the Mets and Yankees will play each other at Citi Field in Queens and I'm sure there will be many memorable actions made for that game. I'll probably cry, but I still can't wait to see it.