September 10th

September 10th

I'm hesitant to write about the September 11 episodes, but the writers of Third Watch did such an amazing job of
handling the most chilling episode in American history since the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

So no, I'm not going to do a scene by scene, quip by quip run down of these episodes. I will say though "September
10th" is an amazing portrait of the how quickly things change. It's a commentary on how everything is normal and right up
until the minute it's not.

The firehouse scene is understated in it's ordinary-ness. It's laid back and low key – talking of football and family – like
any other Monday night. The usual prank fire run they get all the time is just another illustration of normal.

The Bosco and Faith scene is just as ordinary and as usual. The fight over desert, discussing Sullivan's impending
marriage, and Faith keeping from Bosco the truth about what's bothering her is completely as it should be. The later
locker room scene just illustrates how things happen on any given day at the five-five.

Sully and Ty going out and about in Atlantic City for one last hurray before Sully's wedding is ordinary too. The drunken
revels are something that happens between friends on any random night on the Jersey Shore.

Carlos and Doc's interaction in the ambulance is just another battle of wit and word – just like always.

And for once ordinary is the best way to tell the story. The ordinary is used to underscore how the events of the next
morning will make nothing ordinary ever again.

The talk about how beautiful the day was brings everything back as if it were yesterday. As I'm writing this, it's one
month prior to the three year anniversary and I can still feel the weight of that day just by living this episode. I'm not a
New Yorker, but it was a beautiful day here, too. I watched in terror – not that I could even match the terror felt by
those actually there. It was frightening from 200 miles away nonetheless. The planes flying into the local international
airport flew so low they nearly touched the trees near my home. I could see the faces of the frightened passengers from
the ground they were so low. And I did see them – every time I heard a plane approach, I ran outside. Every year since
then, I've prayed for rain in September. Nonsensical, but true.

Everything was ordinary, we all went about our lives – like these characters – and then it wasn't anymore for any of us.

Everyone remembers what song they were listening to, where they were, who they were with, what they did – and that's
the way it should be at least in my opinion.

This episode is a remembrance too and it never fails to touch me.