My Trip In the Duty Bag

The following morning we slept in until 7:00 a.m. Soon we were ready to start our walk to the Capitol to learn about our great nation, including the history of our past presidents and their accomplishments. After stopping to eat breakfast, we had walked a block toward the Capitol when Nana’s cell phone rang. It was Nana’s husband, Chet, who was calling from Flint, Michigan. Nana answered the phone, slowing her pace with each step she took. Her face showed signs of worry as she hung up the phone. I thought Chet must have told her something serious, as Nana rarely had a look like that on her face. She told her sisters that a plane had just hit one of the World Trade Center towers in New York City! We walked another block in silence when her cell phone rang again. As before, Nana answered the phone looking at her sisters as she listened to her husband, Chet, tell her that another plane had just hit the other World Trade Center tower! Nana and her sisters discussed what they should do, and decided to continue the 1½ block walk to the Capitol. They felt safe since they weren’t in New York City and not near any tall buildings! As we neared the Capitol, we saw a HUGE fireball flare out from the Pentagon. There was smoke rolling out of the top and side of the building, and everyone was running fast out of the building, like busy ants building a nest. We gasped in shock.