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I was working on a project at the Frankfurt, Germany airport. First heard about it from my German colleagues who were listening to the radio in our car as we drove from one worksite to another. After the second tower was hit, we drove to the airport computer center. Like so many people worldwide, we watched the towers fall on CNN. It was devastating, all the more so because my wife and two year-old daughter were thousands of miles away. The only peace I felt was knowing that my family was safe in our home, with my mother and father-in-law there to take care of them if I couldn't get home for a long time. My wife was so supportive. I told her I didn't know when I would come home, but I would somehow make it home in one (living) piece.
My German colleagues were incredibly kind and considerate. They asked me and my American co-worker if we felt able to continue working (we were planning to be there for two weeks). By the next morning, we felt sufficiently recovered to go back to work. It was eerie seeing all the planes from the US airlines parked together on a remote ramp for the next several days, surrounded by German police and military units with armored vehicles.
When it was time to return to the US two weeks later, outbound security had been doubled. It was sobering to go through two security checks, surrounded by police in full riot gear, carrying military rifles. An older German gentleman next to me in line observed the security proceedings and remarked "The gangsters have already won." Once on the plane, I had an entire 30 seat business class section all to myself. I bet there weren't 50 people on the entire plane! I had my own personal flight attendant. After a while, I told her she really didn't have to check up on me regularly, I would just ask if I needed anything. When I finally arrived home, it was wrapped in a bear hug by my little girl. She knew that bad things had happened because of airplanes while daddy was away and was very glad to have me get off one. Then and there I decided that my business traveling days were going to be much reduced!
Greg
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