I Am An Idiot

I almost didn’t go to this party.  It was a celebration of the millionth visitor to the Tribute WTC Visitor Center and it was held at WTC 7, the first rebuilt building.  As it was I was late and missed speeches by Bloomberg, Giuliani and others.  I also almost didn’t go upstairs.  I’m afraid of heights and it was on the 49th floor. When I’m in elevators all I think about is: if the elevator should fall, can I survive?  When it’s 49 floors down the answer would a big NO.  But it was just me and Sal Cassano, the chief of the entire FDNY in the elevator, and he made me feel safe.  

On the 49th floor the elevator doors opened up to this view.  My jaw dropped and the chief said, “Aren’t you glad you came up?” YES.  Thank you for convincing me to get on that elevator, Chief.  I doubt my pictures can convey the spectacularness of this view, but I kept trying. Imagine being the people who get to work here.  Just walking around and looking out onto this all the time.

 

Stacy Horn

I've written six non-fiction books, the most recent is Damnation Island: Poor, Sick, Mad, and Criminal in 19th-Century New York.

View all posts by Stacy Horn →

5 thoughts on “I Am An Idiot

  1. I’m fairly certain that the elvators used in tall buildings have an elaborate safety mechansim that prevents free fall of the car due to failure.

    david

  2. Oh, Stacy–thank you for sharing these beautiful views! I haven’t been that high in ages. (no double-entendre intended…) I almost get light-headed looking at them they draw me into your own experience so well. I’m also scared of, but fascinated by, heights. 460 ft is as high as we have in Richmond, VA. Not even sure it’s accessible to the public. God bless NY!

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