"I got off the Broadway Local at 14th Street and walked south. It was a sparkling day. I was in the heart of the city, but the air was fresh and the sunshine inviting. Red, white, and blue declarations of unity wove the crowded storefronts and passing vehicles together. The flags, posters, and souvenir T-shirts, stretching like garlands along 7th Avenue, seemed strong and proud. The approaching devastation was heralded first by the smell, like the harsh odor of an electrical fire. As I got closer to what was the World Trade Center, the smell became more acrid, but then I could get no closer, nor could anyone other than those with a reason. At the Chambers Street intersection, the street was blockaded by portable barricades and serious-looking police officers. I wasn't the only one to linger there. I suppose we all needed to see for ourselves, but it was what we couldn't see that mattered. There were no Twin Towers." D.J.Z., October 20, 2001. [2001]
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