In light of the recent news from NY City, I was just wondering how many of you left jobs in big city skyscrapers for the country life and what you're thinking now. My DH and I both come from large cities where we spent a good deal of our working lives in those tall buildings and taking numerous work related airline flights. If ever there was a day we missed it or second guessed our decision, it was not yesterday. In the buildings I personally worked in, one had and frequently practiced emergency exits and one never did. I made sure I knew my own way out. In yesterday's case, even that wouldn't have helped some of the innocent people. We talked about how we would have been the couple reported to have been holding hands as they jumped from the building together. Now I know why my boss kept a parachute under his desk (I'm serious!). I am now definitely of the personal opinion that people just were not meant to work that high up in the sky! We are both very happy to be waking up alive in our country home today. Somehow the overwhelming chores do not seem so hard to do. Our hearts and prayers go out to all the children waking up without one or both parents and the husbands and wives without each other this morning.

-- Rose Marie Wild (wintersongfarm@yahoo.com), September 12, 2001

Answers

I agree with you Rose Marie, although the highest building I ever worked in was only six stories. It seems bad things happen when we're too far off the ground, away from the good earth. I share your thoughts regarding all the dead, injuried and especially those who don't know about their loved ones. I've been cleaning house frantically for two days as if I could make sense out of chaos.

Wishing you enough.

-- Trevilians (aka Dianne in Mass) (Trevilians@mediaone.net), September 12, 2001.

Count me among those that fled the high rise. I used to work in St. Louis, downtown about seven blocks from the arch. My wife said to me as I left for work yesterday morning (I slept in with back spasims and acutally saw the second plane hit the WTC on tv) "glad we live out in the middle of nowhere". I used to travel extensively and after the MGM Grand fire in Las Vegas, I would never stay higher than the third floor! We have the families in our prayers too, and all the casualties yet to come. This is not going to be over soon.

-- Rickstir (rpowell@email.ccis.edu), September 12, 2001.

It is scary. My brother in law works as a conductor for NJ Transit and was stuck in Manhattan for a while there until they restored rail service. We were quite upset, but thank God he got to go home to his wife and kids finally!

And I used to do a lot of pc service work in NYC, gave it up in 1997, and am blessed enough to telecommute from home now! Anyway, I actually had to walk down 17 flights once due to a fire. Was enough to convince me to stay near the ground! And I've been stuck inside the Lincoln Tunnel morethan once for almost an hour as a car accident was cleared. Not fun, and I don't miss those experiences at all!

In fact, I'm supposed to go to NJ in a few weeks for a very rare business trip (once a year show my face at the office and prove to them that I do own clothes that aren't flanel or overalls), and the wife is threatening to break my leg while I'm asleep and calling my boss and telling him I couldn't make it if I do decide to go. But to be totally honest, I don't think it's over, and I have no desire to go at this point. Maybe I'll get lucky and the boss will reschedule for me, so I don't have to be the bad guy...

-- Eric in TN (eric_m_stone@yahoo.com), September 12, 2001.

I get nervous on top a six foot step ladder, or on a tractor that sets up too high, could never work in one of those things, for no amount of money!!!!

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), September 12, 2001.

Being I won't ride a elevator, I've never been in a really tall building. Too many stairs.

I've also never lived in a huge city. Too many people. I just like to stay out of town and be left alone for the most part.

-- Uriah (Uriahdeath2@netscape.net), September 13, 2001.

I grew up in Washington DC and the Northern Va. suburbs, and I knew this day was coming since 1961. I spoke with my daughter and grandchildren yesterday on the phone, and I apologized for dragging her to a state with a limited educational system and limited financial opportunities, but I knew this day would come and wanted my family to be out of it. I have been praying staeadily since tuesday morning.

-- Mitzi Giles (Egiles2@prodigy.net), September 13, 2001.