"World Trade Center"

We had seen Oliver Stone's "World Trade Center" in the theaters when it came out. Mr. Stone, not known for avoiding controversy, had done a really nice job of portraying what occur ed according to two of New York's bravest and their loved ones and others involved in the rescue mission on 9/11. His movie touched me in the theaters--working with policemen, I had been totally frustrated at the number of miscommunication on the Port Authority PD's behalf, and of course I was then devastated by the loss of so many lives, not just the lives of the emergency personnel, but ALL the lives at all the various locations of attacks and the lives on board United 93. Anyway, I digress...I had managed not to cry while we were at the theater, I think because such a deep sorrow and rage was still in me.

This past weekend (well, my weekend) we bought a copy of WTC, and I took it to work. Last night we watched it with the officers that were on duty, and it was like I was watching a totally different movie because I was watching it with officers. Stupid, huh, that I felt different watching it this time...it still hurts to watch a remake of that day, and it was interesting that before the opening shots even hit the screen, we were talking about where we were that day, how we heard, what we thought at the time. It doesn't matter where you are an officer/dispatcher/detention officer--we're all part of that family, and it transcends city, county and state boundaries. We all hurt for each other, and this reopened--ever so gently--the wounds that I'm not sure time will ever heal. I hate watching grown men cry--it's a true raw emotion, even while they're attempting to hide it. How vulnerable are we all...

Even more interesting is that it opened an avenue for a co-worker and I that are on total opposite ends of the spectrum politically to talk about our thoughts on the war in Iraq, and our mutual pride in our troops. Maybe I'm just more melancholy today because it's the last week that our "adopted" son is in town on his leave from the Army, and realistically we know that this may be the last time we see him before his deployment to Iraq.

And on that note, I think I'll go to bed.