Where Were You?

I thought this was a neat little thing. Makes you think back.

Where were you when...

1. President Kennedy was shot. (11/22/1963)
I was not born. However, as many of you know, I am very interested in this event and most anything JFK. The video is the most haunting thing I have ever seen, every time I watch it, still to this day. I don't know why.

2. Elvis died. (8/16/1977)
I do not remember this at all. I was 4 years old, and I'm sure my Mom cried.

3. Mt. St. Helen's erupted. (5/18/1980)
I don't know where I was, but I do remember seeing it on TV at some point. The thing I remember is how the ash cloud appeared to be billowing up so very slowly, when in reality it was so powerful and spreading so quickly.

4. John Lennon was shot. (12/8/1980)
Don't remember. I'm sure my Dad remembers.

5. Ronald Reagan was shot. (3/31/1981)
I was in school. I believe I was in second grade. Anyway, Mom had come to pick me up from school and when I got out to the car, it had just happened and she told me about it. I ran back inside to tell my teacher, but she wouldn't believe me. Well, I said "The President's been killed" (rather than shot). Anyway, she apologized the next day to me. :-P

6. The space shuttle Challenger exploded. (1/28/1986)
I was in 7th grade, sitting in Mr. Hare's science class. Mr. Givens, the sixth grade science teacher, came in the room and told us. Within a couple of minutes, we had a TV in there and were watching the news.

7. The Chernobyl meltdown occurred in the Soviet Union. (4/26/1986)
I don't remember where I was, but I do remember this story on the news. I was 13. I remember thinking and wondering if the radiation cloud would reach the United States.

8. The earthquake hit San Francisco during the World Series. (10/7/1989)
I am pretty sure I was watching this when it started, but not positive. The thing I remember the most, unfortunately, was Al Michaels, who seems to be an expert on everything, enlightening us with his vast quake knowledge. Ugh. That, and the crumbled freeways.

9. Terrorists bombed the World Trade Center. (2/26/1993)
I don't remember this much at all. Have no idea where I was. Just saw it on the news. Didn't seem real significant to me then, for some reason.

10. The OJ Simpson White Bronco chase occurred. (6/17/1994)
Naturally, I was watching the NBA Finals, when they were unceremoniously interrupted. I remember being glued to the TV and wondering why the cops were all staying so far behind, when they only appeared to be traveling 30-40 miles per hour. For days I remember thinking there's no way this football star could've committed murder. Obviously, my opinion had completely changed once the evidence started coming out.

11. The federal building in Oklahoma City was bombed. (4/19/1995)
I don't remember where I was. Just remember watching the news.

12. Princess Diana was killed. (8/31/1997)
I remember it was late night here. I think it was a Sunday. I can't remember if Bobbie and I had gone out or she had come over. I was living where I live now. I don't remember if we watched it together, or if we talked on the phone about it, but I remember watching it well into the night. I remember seeing it as soon as it broke and thinking for the longest that maybe she'd be OK :-(

13. Terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and Pentagon. (9/11/2001)
I was sleeping. Woke up to my radio alarm and everything just sort of slowly sank in as I came out of my haze. It was so unreal, like a dream, but I couldn't wake up. I turned on the TV just before the second tower was hit and, like most everyone else, stayed glued to the TV for most of the rest of the day.

14. The space shuttle Columbia disintegrated on re-entry. (2/1/2003)
Ah, I was in Memphis, visiting Tiffany. I will always remember that weekend, because I had just had my wreck the night before. I woke up to the news that the shuttle was missing, and soon afterward knew that it had disintegrated.

OK, I added two of my own:
15. Bear Bryant died. (1/26/1983)
Again, I don't remember where I was when this happened. The only thing I remember about this was watching the funeral procession on television and the streets lined with thousands of people, and seeing a couple of the players or former players speaking, I guess at the funeral. Anyway, if you want to see a grown man cry, show me anything about Bear's death.

16. Payne Stewart's plane crashed. (10/25/99)
I don't know why I remember this, but I do. I always will. It was just eerie. The plane was just flying on its own, with everyone aboard apparently unconscious. I was working in Cullman. A few of us had gone to lunch and one of the guys had heard this on the radio on the way over. So they flipped on a TV in the restaurant and we watched it. It was also the first time I ever knew there was a Fox News channel. Seemed like such an oxymoron to me.

So looking back, in reality, I only actually remember precisely where I was when about half of these events occurred. So when you talk about events that you'll always remember where you were when they happened, are they really? Well, ask yourself these questions and see if you remember.

"Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened? Close your eyes and not go to sleep? Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages? Speak with some stranger on the street?"