Seven Years Ago...The Games Stopped...

I'm not going to show pictures of what happened that day. I don't think I can speak well enough about what happened that day. I'm not going to show videos, pictures, newspaper articles, or anything else that was attached to that day. I'm not even going to describe what happened that day. I will not because I won't have to. There will be enough said and spoken about what happened that day. All day, whether it is on the television, radio, or on the internet.

I remember where I was, where I was going, and how everyone was glued to the television at work. I remember that there was not a lot of work was done that day. I know it was there, and it was done, but it was hard to focus on it.

I remember driving to the store before heading home, as the sun was going down, and seeing a guy on a motorcycle, waving a flag, and letting out a loud "YEE-HAH" as he rode past.

I remember coming home to watch the news with my wife as the news continued to develop and everything was dropped to focus on what happened.

I remember hugging my wife a lot harder before going to bed.

I remember sports suddenly taking a back seat as all 15 baseball games were cancelled.

• Seattle at Anaheim...Postponed
• Toronto at Baltimore...Postponed
• Minnesota at Detroit...Postponed
• Cleveland at Kansas City...Postponed
• Chicago AL at New York AL...Postponed
• Texas at Oakland...Postponed
• Boston at Tampa Bay...Postponed
• Colorado at Arizona...Postponed
• Philadelphia at Atlanta...Postponed
• Cincinnati at Chicago NL...Postponed
• Montréal at Florida...Postponed
• San Francisco at Houston...Postponed
• St. Louis at Milwaukee...Postponed
• Pittsburgh at New York NL...Postponed
• Los Angeles at San Diego...Postponed

It was just as well...the minds of every person in North America were focused on other matters.

I remember waking up the next day and watching the news again. I remember before leaving to change the channel to the PBS station, that decided, even the day before, to continue with their regularly scheduled children's programming. If for no other reason, than to provide a sense of normalcy for children who were home (including my then one-year-old daughter) and a break for weary parents who stayed up all night watching the news.

I remember looking up at the sky, knowing that we lived really close to the airport, and not seeing a plane in the sky.

I remember coming to work that day, and plans for the food show theme had changed to something more patriotic.

I remember reading the newspaper at lunch, of the stories of the people who were on the planes, or of those in the buildings.

I remember having to suspend an account located in New York City that afternoon.

I remember coming home again, thinking that more than 4,000 people would not be able to experience that again.

I remember that as the days went on, a patriotic feeling swept over the neighborhoods. US Flags were hung on almost every doorstep that I would pass on the way to work.

I remember the food show, for how busy as it was, and how somber the mood. Many of the people who were there either to sell or buy had to arrive by other means because there were no flights. I remember that even though the original theme of our show was a rock-and-roll theme, and was changed to something more patriotic, that the Elvis impersonator still brought the crowd to its feet when he sang "God Bless America" that evening.

And I remember the following morning, a Monday morning no less. After all the speeches, and the patriotic feelings, the tribute videos, the initial roll call of those who were gone. After all of that...

I remember the games coming back...



And in a way, after a week of uncertainty, a sense of normalcy returned.

To the families whose lives were affected by the events of September 11, 2001, our prayers go out to you.

Sincerely,

JayBee Anama