E-PAL MARLENE JUPITER: THAT DAY
My 9/11 Story
I was in the Trade Center that morning and lived in the neighborhood of Ground Zero. That day as most of you remember was a magnificent fall day, New York that morning could not be more beautiful. I started the day walking Justice, my cock-a-poo, and spending a couple of minutes with my fellow neighbors. At about eight in the morning, a group of us dog lovers would have a cup of coffee together and just say hello to each other as our dogs socialized. We had a group of dogs ranging from a miniature poodle to a German shepherd, and they all were happy to greet each other. Battery Park City was and is still a very dog-friendly neighborhood.
After bringing Justice back upstairs, I embarked on my day with Wall Street Journal in my hand. The front page had a story about how a woman from Morgan Stanley had won a suit with the EEOC for sexual harassment and discrimination. Her time on Wall Street had been a walk in the park compared to mine, (another story/another day), but I was happy that she had won. I was working as a quantitative analyst for a service that my friend was going to buy for his hedge fund. The man I was working for was the worst boss I had in my life, not only was he abusive, but he was cheap as well. An unwritten rule on Wall Street was that people believed you should take the abuse since you were being paid so well, and it was not unknown that a secretary could make $200,000 a year but part of the compensation was taking the rants and raves of a lunatic.
I got to the office after being in the Trade Center and taking a Path Train that left New York at about 8:32, I think it was the last train to leave the Trade Center that day. I got to work and no one was in their designated offices. I thought that was quite odd, since a few workers usually arrived at 7:00. I called my ex-colleague Jay to tell him about the Morgan Stanley case. He said, “Thank God you’re ok,” and I responded, “Huh,” and then he said, “Oh my God, oh my God, another plane just hit the Trade Center, turn on the television, we’re under attack.”
I lived across the street from the Trade Center, I got off the phone and went towards the room with the television and found all of my co-workers huddled around it. One of the guys was as white as a ghost, his brother-in-law was in the Tower on a high floor, and I hugged him for support. I ran back to the office and called my neighbor, who also happened to be Justice’s dog-walker at the time, and asked to take him with her, telling her she should evacuate. Then my sister called and found out I was ok. My friend Claire and my sister’s father-in-law called telling me that they would come get me, and then one of the buildings fell. I went into the room with the television as everyone hugged my co-worker who had just lost his brother-in-law. It was all surreal, and then I grabbed two other co-workers, to go see if we could help in anyway. We walked towards the pier, so we could help anyone who needed shelter as they fled towards New Jersey. As we got there, the other tower fell, the ground shook, and everyone was screaming and crying. We all hugged each other, but now we could see New York on fire. My mind kept thinking the smoke was contained to one avenue, and it wasn’t hurting my neighbors or neighborhood – bizarre thinking, but true. Later some people came off the boats, they were all filled with soot, crying, coughing, and just stunned. I offered people water and sodas – we had taken a bag filled with refreshments to the pier. It was crazy; people just talked about how they were engulfed in soot and debris and really thought they were going to die. I was praying that all my neighbors would be safe, and I was convinced that my neighbor had got out with Justice.
After we ran out of the refreshments, we went back to the office; everyone was comforting the man who had just lost his brother-in-law. The nutty boss was not there, but he was forcing this guy to stay there to get work done. My friend Noreen called, she was in New Jersey as well, and she was going to come and get me. We were going to stay with her fellow co-worker, Seth, until we could get back to our home. The neighborhood I was working in was now being evacuated, and they wouldn’t let her near the office building to get me. Well, if you need to be saved, Noreen is your girl – she told the police, I need to get my friend, and I’m not taking no for an answer. FYI – she was the whistleblower for the mutual fund scandal – so if you got a check — it was because of her bravery.
She got me and off we went to a very nice house, where Seth, her partner took great care of us. I couldn’t sleep wondering whether Justice was safe. My neighbor didn’t have a cell phone, and even if she did, service was dead for many of the carriers. I knew that she would go to a friend in midtown, but I wasn’t sure what building he lived in even though I had been their once or twice for a party.
When Noreen and I got back to New York, the next day, Noreen found us a place to stay. Her employer owned a couple of hotels near Battery Park City. Tribecca was filled with smoke as well, but we wanted to be close to our home, and half the residents of Battery Park City found themselves there as well.
All my effort was on Justice. My neighbor’s friend’s number was not listed, so I went up and down different blocks in midtown trying to find the apartment building. I was convinced Justice was with her.
Noreen had a house in the Hamptons, and she thought we would be better off there – instead of breathing the fumes of Tribecca. At this point, Noreen was my life-line. I didn’t want to leave the city without Justice, but I was positive my neighbor had him. I got on the bus to the Hamptons, and suddenly a phone call came into Noreen’s cell phone. My parents got a call from my neighbor. She was unable to take him; he was still in the apartment in Battery Park City. I was still in Manhattan, I begged the bus driver to let me off, he wouldn’t and then the entire bus started screaming – let her off – she needs to save her dog and he stopped. He was scared that they would all attack him – if he didn’t and what difference was it to him to just let me walk off a bus even if it was against the Hampton Jitney rules, these were not typical days.
I was now somewhere in the thirties, and went to my friend Frank’s barber shop on Fifth and Twenty something. He was happy to help me. My neighbor found out who was rescuing dogs and left the information with my parents. I called the number and they told us to go down to the West Side Highway, next to one of the piers. We got down there and it was mayhem, there were tons of people trying to get back to get medicine, save an animal, and some to get people who were unable to get out of the buildings. I put my name on the list; it was about 3 PM on Thursday. I also signed away any right to sue anyone and was warned that no one knew if the buildings would fall or whether there would be more disasters in the area. I didn’t care if the buildings were filled with mustard gas; I was going to get Justice.
Finally at about 8 PM, the first group of people was called. I have never won in a raffle in my life, but I came up in the first group to rescue the dogs. We were all taken in this van with a group leader who worked for a unit of the ASPCA, and a parks policeman. As we approached Battery Park City, we couldn’t believe what it looked like, it was a warzone, fireman all over, dust, glass, a putrid smell, and paper all over the place as well as empty shoes. In fact, there was about six inches of mud surrounding the World Financial Center.
Before we got out of the van, someone suggested we all pray for the animals to be safe. We held each other’s hands and prayed – I could feel a presence, I know it’s hard to believe, but I felt like our prayers were really heard.
There was no electricity in the apartment building, it was pitch dark, but the park police had large flashlights. We went towards the stairs and someone would accompany a resident as they went to get their pet. Once the dog or cat was saved, they told the residents to stay there and wait for us on the way down. I lived on the 34th floor, and by-now, I was running on complete adrenalin, I was so scared as I came to my apartment. I couldn’t hear the dog at the door, so my heart was skipping beats. I opened the door and he wasn’t there – I thought I was going to faint. The park policeman told me that the animals were so traumatized that they were hiding. Suddenly, I saw that my bedroom door was closed; I ran to it and opened it. Justice ran out, directly to the toilet. Somehow he must have got locked in my room; the blast may have blown the door shut. I was filled with tears and so thankful to the man I was with – we let Justice drink as much water as possible, and he told me that there were pet triages and they would put him on IV to hydrate him.
We started to make our way down, all the pets were saved and tears just flowed. We were all so thankful to our rescuers as well as thanking God, never before did I see such love flow from a cast of strangers. Even though we lived in the same building, we never knew each other. As we got downstairs, don’t ask me how, but my buddy Justice took a poo, when I tried to get a paper towel to pick it up, still being a good citizen, everyone said – don’t worry about it – we all laughed and immediately got into the van and got out of Battery Park City, back to the Pier. The Vet triage took a look at all of the animals and put Justice on an IV to hydrate him. After we were done, Frank was waiting for me; it was now close to midnight. We then walked to Stuyvesant Town, where Frank and his wonderful wife Melanie lived. She had food ready for us as well as Justice and Justice being the polite guest slept in both bedrooms making sure his host knew he loved them as well.
I have way more to tell – because I saw a lot of great people help us rebuild the neighborhood, people from all over the country. In fact, one night when I could finally return to my home two months later, I was walking Justice and suddenly this cop called to me asking for my help. He said, “Someone just jumped into the Hudson River, I need you to watch my stuff,” as he took off his gun and shoes and then proceeded to jump into the Hudson River. Seconds later, there was a helicopter and a boat. They saved the guy. I saw them take him out on a stretcher into an ambulance. As legend has it, he worked in the Trade Center, and was not there that day, but lost all of his friends and his wife. He was fighting a major depression. He was drunk and wanted to end it.
There was so much pain – but there were so many great people – despite all the political rhetoric – the people of this country – so many are so wonderful – the policeman risked his life – the tow of the Hudson is very strong and it was pitch black. Six months later, my door-man Dave got the Fire Department to save a squirrel trapped in the rubble of the Trade Center. As my friend Armando says, there is always good even in the face of evil.
My dog Justice lived to a ripe old age and got to have a life filled with love and travel. He loved going out on the boat and having the wind brace him. Never take the beauty of our world for granted. I thank God for all the wonderful people that helped our neighborhood.
Marlene Jupiter
An original resident of Battery Park City
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