Memories Of Two Giants Struck Down Part 4

On Friday February 26th, 1993, it was a cold overcast day with some light snow. Marge's promotion party was scheduled for 7 PM at a Tribecca bar called R-Bar that The Crew frequented as they were my customers. They always gave us a great deal on food and drink, reserved us a great table, and many times would just shut down the bar (usually by 1:30 am) to let The Crew hang out all night while the liquor flowed freely, and many a joint would be passed around. Needless to say, this helped keep them in our good graces when their account was overdrawn and we would pay their checks, always knowing that they would come in with cash the next day to cover the overdrafts. Both the owners were great guys; ex-hippies from the 60s, one Italian and one Jew whose Mothers helped run the place, and yeah...they would party with us too.

The branch I worked in was located at the corner of Church and Thomas Streets, about an 8 block walk North of the WTC. We knew that this particular Friday was going to be rough, as it was a NYC Employee payday and the lines would looks like getting a loaf of bread in Moscow in January. We also knew that some serious partying was going to happen around 7 PM, and we were all looking forward to it...especially because it was for Marge.

Marge was a wonderful person, of Haitian descent who spoke French fluently, as did I. Her and I used to joke a lot in French, usually at other people's expense, and we had a good time of it. She was also stunningly beautiful, but for some reason she could just never find the right guy for a boyfriend. She was a great co-worker and loved by us all; and despite the fact that she got the promotion that I wanted, she deserved it. Her and I talked daily that first week of how her new job was, and how much she just loved working in the big branch and in the WTC.

One of that WYC Branch's customers was Dean Witter, a brokerage on the 44th floor of the South Tower. We had a special arrangement where their new employees would get free checking and preferred rates; and every Tuesday, a one or two employees would go to the new employee orientation and sign up a bunch of folks and get flat rate commission on their accounts. Another perk that the folks at Dean Witter used to give to the WTC Branch employees was permission to use their cafeteria, where the food was extremely reasonable and for a corporate cafeteria, quite good. In addition, you could take a window seat and watch the harbor while you were eating with that magnificent view. Marge had told me that she planned on going there all week, because she enjoyed the food and the view.

Somewhere in the early afternoon on Friday 2/26/03, we began to notice a larger amount of customers rushing into our branch than usual. A lot of them were shaking with ashen looks on their faces. We began to hear an unusual amount of police and fire activity rushing past us shortly before these customers were coming in, so we kind of figured something was up. I asked someone what had happened, and they told me that a bomb went off in the World Trade Center.

I ran out into the street and looked southward to see a black cloud of smoke coming from the Towers. We had two Branches there, and I had friends in both of them. My manager Pete (also part of The Crew and still a good buddy to this day) came over and told me when I got back inside that they had evaccuated both Branches, and were still taking headcounts to see who was alright.

My fiancee had called me to make sure I was alright, and I assured her I was, but we still hadn't heard anything about Marge. She told me she was meeting me at the Branch and would come in to NYC via Penn Station and take a subway down to meet me as (needless to say) the PATH was shut down (and probably would be for a while). I tried to dissuade her, but she insisted because she wanted to be with me, and she had gotten close with Marge and wanted to make sure she was OK as well.

About an hour later, we got the news that all were accounted for except for Marge and a co-worker named Karen. It seems as if they decided to have lunch on the 44th Floor when the bomb went off; and in the days before cell phones, the only way we knew she was OK was to simply show up at the Bar and wait for her.

After we closed up shop, The Crew all met at the bar...and we waited. We drank, and we waited...finally, in walk Marge and Karen, somewhat sooty and obviously shaken. It had taken them several hours to walk down 44 flights of stairs, in the dark, with not so much as a word as to what happened. Needless to say, they were shaken...and after a few rounds of hugs and kisses, Marge orders the biggest Martini she could, and begs me for a cigarette. This was not normal for Marge; she usually drank beer, and only smoked when she got a little tipsy. That night, she drank nothing but Martinis and I bought her a pack of cigarettes which she smoked all of.

Her and Karen told us of their ordeal, that they were fine...but there was something else there...something I wouldn't recognize until I saw it happen to me 8 years later.

She was shaking like a leaf, talking continuously and non-stop...and the light was gone from her eyes. I kept telling her she was OK and to be thankful...and looking back on it, what a callous bastard I was. I still feel guilty about this to this day. Unless you've experienced that kind of terror, you cannot possibly understand...and that time I didn't. My fiancee (who already knew Marge was in a state of shock) and Marge went to a corner table where the two of them talked and Marge just unloaded everything.

At the end of the night, we called a company car for Marge to get her home safely. Tess and I took the train back home to New Jersey, not exchanging a single word...and it was a good thing too: that morning, I found out that the Sales Manager for one of the WTC Branches was moving on, and I was first in line for the promotion.

Bomb or no bomb, there was no question in my mind that if the job was offered to me, I was going to take it.

After all, who would be stupid enough to try and destroy the World Trade Center again, and there was no way that our government would let that happen.

To be continued...