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I was in line waiting to check out at what passed for a grocery store in Portsmouth, Dominica, in the south Caribbean. My wife and I had just moved to the third world from bummsville Illinois to begin her medical training. I had two thoughts going through my head... "why the hell don't they have any bread today?" and "why is everyone just standing around staring at the TV?... oh wait... that's normal". At least until I realized that the TV was set to CNN, and those burning buildings weren't part of a movie. Absolutely terrifying.
The local reaction was mixed... some stood with us, others pointed at us Americans and laughed, yelling "Bin Laden! Bin Laden!". One group of Muslim students threw a party. I understand it didn't go well for them.
I'll always remember where I was at that moment, and the moment the Challenger blew up...
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