So on this day one year ago, I was walking through the Cafe Boulangerie at the Paris Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, carrying a bag of freshly baked, still warm, croissants while sipping on a fresh cup of coffee. The flavor was warm and wonderful, and I was anxious to again get started and explore another day in the beautiful Nevada canyons. The casino's promenade of shops and restaurants was busy with fresh, and not so fresh, morning faces. And as usual, one could hear the familiar songs of the ever-chiming slot machines, seductively calling their wares to the morning gamblers.
Over in the corner, a man with a morning newspaper suddenly peered over his reading glasses and stared intently at the television mounted up on the wall. Curious, my eyes followed his. Almost immediately thereafter a hush fell over the cafe as other people, too, turned their attentions to the breaking news banner that ribboned across the bottom of the screen. Confusion turned to horror as patrons pieced together the newscaster's voice to the images. People unaware of what was unfolding stopped short as they entered the cafe - temporarily caught off guard by the heavy cafe atmosphere.
A pillowly couple standing in front of me, pointed and whispered to each other. Wide-eyed, an elderly woman placed her hand over her mouth and shook her head slowly from side to side - not wanting to believe what her eyes were showing her; her husband dropped his gaze to the floor. Varying degrees of horror became evident as people, one by one, came to understand the tragedy. Sadness flooded the air, thick and syrupy, and choked us almost to the point of smothering.
The spaceshuttle Columbia broke apart on reentry...
The seven aboard just lost their lives. Four wives, two husbands are now widowed.
Six children just lost their fathers. One child has just lost her mother. Seven families are now torn apart.
An agency, two nations, and the rest of the world, are united in mourning, on this morning, February 1, 2003 at 9:02 a.m...
3 comments:
And you claim to be the queen of pointless posting. HARDLY! what a fabulous tribute. I really should come here more often. I like the economy of your words!
Check out any of my pointless blogs whenevah.
thanks mae - yeah, every once in a while i am prone to acts of maturity...thanks for visiting!
weird..sometimes i have pics with this entry..sometimes they just disappear...what's up with that!?
Post a Comment