could see in his eyes.
Everybody else was solemn and silent. Aside from the announcer, the only other sound was the constant buzzing of telephones, left unattended and unanswered as everybody stood transfixed, frozen in place.
The image on some of the screens suddenly changed. It showed fire trucks, police cars and ambulances all parked haphazardly on the plaza at the foot of the buildings. All around them were emergency personnel, rushing into the building and escorting people out. I thought about that mass of people who’d been in the lobby of our building this morning. There had to be just as many people in that building as there were in this one, and they all had to get
out
of there.
“How many people work in that tower?” I asked.
“There are forty thousand in the two towers, so I’d imagine around twenty thousand,” Suzie said.
That was right, that was what my father had mentioned this morning.
“Yeah, but there wouldn’t be that many people there right now,” Phil said. “It’s still early.”
“And a Tuesday,” somebody else added. “People arrive late on Mondays and Tuesdays and leave early on Thursdays and Fridays.”
“Plus with the primaries being held today I’m sure there were lots of people who went to vote before coming to work.”
“Nevertheless,” my father said, “there are still a large number of people who have to leave the building as quickly as possible, and without using the elevators.”
“That’s right, they can’t use the elevators because of the fire,” somebody said.
“I can’t even imagine what the stairwells must look like right now,” Phil said.
“Well, Phil, you’re about to find out,” my father said. “I’m ordering the office to evacuate the building.”
“You’ve got to be joking,” somebody else said.
“No joke,” my father answered. “I’m not just in charge in this office today, I’m the fire warden for this floor. Everybody is going to leave.”
“But boss, I have a report due at the end of the day,” Phil said.
“It’s going to be due at the end of tomorrow.”
“And I have a big deal happening in just a few minutes,” another man said. “It’s a conference call with London and Paris.”
“London and Paris are going to have to talk together without you.”
“But it’s my deal!” he protested.
“It’s still your deal. If you leave right now you can get out of the building and re-route your line through your cellphone. Everybody, close down your computers, gather whatever you think you really need to do business from your homes—ifyou really, really don’t think you can take a day off—and head for the stairwells.”
“The stairwells?” somebody called, and others seemed to be equally confused.
“Yes, nobody is going to use the elevators.”
“But it isn’t
this
building that’s on fire.”
“Rules are rules. Elevators are not to be used in the event of an evacuation. What if they have to turn off the electricity to the complex because of the fire? Does anybody want to be trapped for the day in an elevator?” he asked.
My whole body flushed and I felt almost panicky. The idea of being trapped in an elevator was like some sort of nightmare to me. Nobody else said anything, but nobody looked happy, either.
“Come on, I’m not asking you to walk
up
eighty-five floors. Take your time. Leave, go home, spend some time with your families. Now go.”
Nobody moved.
“That wasn’t a suggestion,” my father said. “That was an order. Everybody out, now.”
People became unstuck and started hurrying off to their cubicles or offices.
“Oh!” my father yelled out. “One more thing. Call home and let people know you’re okay. If they just turn on the TV they’ll be worried that it’s
our
tower that was hit.”
I hadn’t even thought about that. What would Mom think if she saw the TV? She’d be having a fit right now.
“I’ll call home,” I said to my father.
“Good. I’ll gather up my
Everybody else was solemn and silent. Aside from the announcer, the only other sound was the constant buzzing of telephones, left unattended and unanswered as everybody stood transfixed, frozen in place.
The image on some of the screens suddenly changed. It showed fire trucks, police cars and ambulances all parked haphazardly on the plaza at the foot of the buildings. All around them were emergency personnel, rushing into the building and escorting people out. I thought about that mass of people who’d been in the lobby of our building this morning. There had to be just as many people in that building as there were in this one, and they all had to get
out
of there.
“How many people work in that tower?” I asked.
“There are forty thousand in the two towers, so I’d imagine around twenty thousand,” Suzie said.
That was right, that was what my father had mentioned this morning.
“Yeah, but there wouldn’t be that many people there right now,” Phil said. “It’s still early.”
“And a Tuesday,” somebody else added. “People arrive late on Mondays and Tuesdays and leave early on Thursdays and Fridays.”
“Plus with the primaries being held today I’m sure there were lots of people who went to vote before coming to work.”
“Nevertheless,” my father said, “there are still a large number of people who have to leave the building as quickly as possible, and without using the elevators.”
“That’s right, they can’t use the elevators because of the fire,” somebody said.
“I can’t even imagine what the stairwells must look like right now,” Phil said.
“Well, Phil, you’re about to find out,” my father said. “I’m ordering the office to evacuate the building.”
“You’ve got to be joking,” somebody else said.
“No joke,” my father answered. “I’m not just in charge in this office today, I’m the fire warden for this floor. Everybody is going to leave.”
“But boss, I have a report due at the end of the day,” Phil said.
“It’s going to be due at the end of tomorrow.”
“And I have a big deal happening in just a few minutes,” another man said. “It’s a conference call with London and Paris.”
“London and Paris are going to have to talk together without you.”
“But it’s my deal!” he protested.
“It’s still your deal. If you leave right now you can get out of the building and re-route your line through your cellphone. Everybody, close down your computers, gather whatever you think you really need to do business from your homes—ifyou really, really don’t think you can take a day off—and head for the stairwells.”
“The stairwells?” somebody called, and others seemed to be equally confused.
“Yes, nobody is going to use the elevators.”
“But it isn’t
this
building that’s on fire.”
“Rules are rules. Elevators are not to be used in the event of an evacuation. What if they have to turn off the electricity to the complex because of the fire? Does anybody want to be trapped for the day in an elevator?” he asked.
My whole body flushed and I felt almost panicky. The idea of being trapped in an elevator was like some sort of nightmare to me. Nobody else said anything, but nobody looked happy, either.
“Come on, I’m not asking you to walk
up
eighty-five floors. Take your time. Leave, go home, spend some time with your families. Now go.”
Nobody moved.
“That wasn’t a suggestion,” my father said. “That was an order. Everybody out, now.”
People became unstuck and started hurrying off to their cubicles or offices.
“Oh!” my father yelled out. “One more thing. Call home and let people know you’re okay. If they just turn on the TV they’ll be worried that it’s
our
tower that was hit.”
I hadn’t even thought about that. What would Mom think if she saw the TV? She’d be having a fit right now.
“I’ll call home,” I said to my father.
“Good. I’ll gather up my
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