Just Another Thursday Meeting

The meeting was uneventful. We exchanged business cards. We exchanged pleasantries. We talked about when they had done business for a former company I worked for several years earlier. He asked about some people I knew, I asked about some people he knew, we basically “caught each other up".

Bud worked for The Hartford. They had been our Worker’s Compensation carrier at my previous company. He wanted meet with me, pitch the business, and I was willing to listen. After all, I was in New York anyway, and he was buying lunch. I had sat through what seemed to be hundreds of these type meetings before, and hundreds since. It was just another Thursday business-lunch meeting.

We ate lunch outside on the pavilion, pastrami sandwiches if I recall, because the day was nice. Breezy, but nice. Of course, there’s always a breeze downtown.

After lunch, I took the subway back to our offices.

That was Thursday. Thursday, September 7.

At that time, The Hartford’s office was in one of the surrounding buildings. It was Building #6. That’s where our meeting took place, and that’s the last time I saw Bud.

Tomorrow marks the 8th anniversary of 9-11. 5 days after I was at #6 World Trade Center. The following Tuesday after I had been there on Thursday. Bud was one of those people never found.

I’ve thought about this often over the last eight years. How I could have been meeting him on Tuesday of the following week instead of Thursday the week before. Was it a scheduling issue? Was September 7th always the date we were going to meet? Did we change the date? I really don’t remember. I’ve tried, but I just don’t.

What I DO know is, I could have just as easily been there on 9-11 as 9-7. As were thousands of other people.

Usually, I write about fun things like first downs and touchdowns. I brag on my Tigers and rag on the other SEC teams. And I will do that again.

But not today. For we are on the eve of the 8th anniversary of my generation’s Pearl Harbor. The U.S. attacked. On her shores. War declared.

Tomorrow is a day of remembrance. I happen to be in New York as I write this, and I see many people going about their everyday business…the hustle and bustle that IS the city. I wonder how many of them will pause tomorrow….and remember….and honor the fallen.

Let’s never forget. I know I won’t forget. I won’t forget how I could have been there on Tuesday instead of Thursday. I won't forget what they did to us. And I won’t forget Bud.

WJLaneSR