An Appointment at the World Trade Center - March 14th, 2001

On Wednesday, February 14th, of 2001 I had an interview scheduled with the head of IT/MIS at Baseline Securities at Two World Trade Center.
I parked that day in Hoboken, and took the Path Train to Manhattan, to the World Trade Center.
Upon arriving at my destination, I walked passed the stores, and took the escalators up to the lobby and walked over to security, who notified my interviewer of my arrival, and to get photographed and obtain an ID pass (which I have to this day).
I remember taking the elevator to the 78th floor, walking down the hall to the large glass doors to my left, entering and being greeted by this nice young lady.
I can describe what the 78th floor looked like, the young lady who served as receptionist sitting by the large windows where one could view lower Manhattan, Staten Island, and much of the New Jersey shore in the far distance.
She looked to be a Hispanic; perhaps Puerto Rican, in her early twenties, possibly married or engaged to be married; judging by a ring she was wearing.
She must have seen the second plane approaching on September 11th, unable to do a thing, as death came closer and closer finally striking its deadly blow.
So must have all the young men and women who worked at Baseline Securities, the place I had visited last year.
In front of her desk was table full of magazines for waiting visitors, with seats, and the huge window behind, with the splendid view towards the south east.
To the young lady's right (and our left as one stood before her desk) were two escalators which one would take the floor beneath, into the operations area where the IT and other personnel worked.
When my Interviewer, a young black man of medium build with glasses in his early thirties arrived, he ushered me to the floor below through one of the two escalators (one up, and one down).
Descending the escalator, one floor below, one would walk down this long hall, walking past endless offices and cubicles, walking towards the other end of Tower Two.
Reaching almost the end of the hall, but not quite, one would hang a right and walk down another hall, lined with offices on the left--all with magnificent views of upper Manhattan, the surrounding region.
Continuing to walk down this hall and almost reaching its end, one would arrive in an open area where cubicles were with the IT/MIS personnel worked.
To one's right was a glass room full with routers, switches, rack servers, and all manner of telecommunication, and networking hardware; this was the hub and center of information for Baseline.
I saw all of this.
I remember leaving that place that day, thinking that this was indeed an IT Consultant's dream, and knowing somehow that I would not be working there, and accepting what fate G-d had placed on my lap.
I did not know why then, but I did know on September 11th last year; and do so now.
The time and manner of my departure had not yet come.
I will remember all that I saw, and the person I met, and his staff whom I saw as he ushered me back to the escalators, and proceeded to the next interview.
I will remember it until my dying day.
I will remember these people whom fate and G-d Almighty had me meet but for a brief period of a couple of hours that day last year; people who perished on Tuesday, September 11th, 2001.
A people and place I would have also perished with, had I been hired to work there, and been there on that September morning.
So you see, these people were real to me, just as they were dear to those closest to them.
They all had families, and friends, and their loss we all felt, and many continue to feel and carry with them.
And by a hair, I would have been there the very morning that the second plane hit Tower Two, on the floor it hit.
May the L-rd keep all of the dead in His memory, and may He look after every one of their family members.
And so I share this story which I had not shared since that day last year when the devil himself pierced deep into the heart of this nation his dagger of terrorism and hatred; wielded by homicidal Islamic religious fanatics, using jetliners as missiles against innocent human beings.
May the L-rd bless, preserve, and keep this nation which, like Israel, has been called by His name to be a beacon of liberty, truth, and a preserver of humankind.
The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center should be rebuilt to honor the memory of those who gave their lives in attempting to rescue and save the victims of terrorism, and to declare to friend and foe alike that America shall not be brought down by the hand of any man, but that it exists solely by the will of the Almighty, and to this end it serves for the betterment of all mankind.
The towers should be rebuilt just as they were before that terrible day. It would be a lasting memorial, and a symbol of victory over the horror of terrorism, thus they should be rebuilt at the very least, exactly as they were originally built.