Remembering

Good afternoon.  A cold, but sunny day in the city.  Well, the dreaded dental appointment was completed, and the wisdom tooth is gone.  Almost chickened out again...especially when he told me that my new piece is ready for a try on, but not complete.  But, I was pretty proud of myself....and tired of going through all this anxiety, so I told him to tighten my old one and take the tooth out.  I've vacation time coming, and if it didn't stay in, I'd take some time, but it appears to be working. 

I was really taken aback yesterday when I heard the news about that power plant explosion in Connecticut.  Brought up some old childhood memories.  You know, usually when we talk about our childhood memories, 99 % of the time, what we talk about is those great memories...the fun memories like spinning in the rain and not caring what you look like, bike riding, games of hide and seek, tag...your first friend.  I know that these are the first memories that come upfront for me. 

We tend to forget or brush off to the side those memories that we want to forget; but the truth is, not all was fun and games when I was growing up.  Not too long ago I spoke of growing up in the age of the nuclear missle crisis...participating in air raid drills when the whistle would blow and all of us children would form a line and move into the hallway.  There we would sit, backs against the wall, knees up, heads down, arms crossed over our necks....like that would really save us.  I also remember many a night sitting up in bed, watching sky, watching for that dreaded missle to come into view.  What horrors for a child to endure.

But, that's not the memories that resurfaced when I heard that news yesterday.    I know what those families are going through and my heart and my prayers go out to everyone of them.  You see, yesterday's headlines were the headlines from the past for me.  I grew up only a few miles from the Picatinny Arsenal.  The article here speaks of an explosion in a powder plant that happened September 12, 1940.  I hadn't been born yet, but I lost an uncle in that blast...an uncle I would never get to meet.  The following plaque lists the names of all who died in that blast.

My dad, my grandfather, and my aunt all worked at Picatinny Arsenal as well as the families of most of my classmates.  It was the only place to work back then...aside from the mines which were also a dangerous place to work.  But those headlines yesterday brought back those memories of sitting in a classroom, and suddenly, the loud explosion.  We never knew if our families were a part of it or not.  I remember one time my aunt had a close call, when one of her co-workers had their fingers blown off.   But they went back, day after day, those brave men and women. 

When I turned 18, I went for an interview there...and I was hired.  The 'hazardous pay' was fantastic, but not enough to tempt me.  I had a lot of living to do.  I'd seen and heard too much of what went on there.  I know today there are probably many more safety measures taken, but we're talking 40 odd years ago.  So, I worked in a few other factories for minimal wage until I realized that I wanted more from my life.  Hence, I moved to New York City. 

So today I ask that we all say a prayer and light a candle for all those who perished or were injured in yesterday's blast.  I've lived through it.