after stumbling out of bed, alarmed though not panicked, i hear a neighbor in the hallway. "hello! what's going on? did they bomb another building? hello!" presently, the sirens faded and my neighbor went back to her apartment and i took a shower and nothing was wrong, of course. but still.

everything seemed so normal today. i spent a quiet moment in tompkins square park, just like last year, before heading off to work. last year, everything was so still. this morning was like any other. in the east village, on the subway, downtown, except maybe for the names echoing in the distance. surprising and yet strangely satisfying.