I was 22, going on 23. A year fresh out of college, with my whole life in front of me. I had taken a job as a small-time project engineer.

I came in the office at about 8. I noticed something strange. It was silent. I opened the doors to where the desks and cubicals are. In the back corner, about 15 guys were packed together. They were watching a TV someone had moved in. I saw a little part of it. The World Trade Center. I walked over to where one of the vets stood. He stared in disbelief and out of the corner of his mouth he whispered to me, "Get those people outta there. That sucker is gonna fall."

2 minutes later it did. We had the TV going for the couple of weeks.

It made us realize something. I remember later in the day they showed a video of many people somewhere in the Middle East. They made their hands form a "V" for Victory. I didn't know it much until then. We are hated.

Most of the guys said "in the next 5 years, they're will be another one. Maybe worse."

I can't even begin to imagine. This one still hurts, and it always will.