9/11

In acknowledgement of the tragedy’s 10-year anniversary, I’ll share my memory of the day, if only because it’s music-related. I was in high school; my dad was driving me to first period and I was, of course, running late. (In the last decade, the rest of my life has changed entirely. But not that.) During the previous few days, the local classic rock station had been playing Led Zeppelin’s “Ramble On” in the minutes before 8 a.m. and I turned on the radio, anxious to hear it. Instead, we were interrupted by a broadcaster talking about planes and Twin Towers and confusion. My dad, uncertain, let me out of the car and I went to class. I did not listen to Led Zeppelin that day. But when I do, that’s the moment I go back to, far from the darkest depths of Mordor and somewhere much more sad and strange.