John-Henry Doucette is theVirginian-Pilot's newest columnist (bottom of the story). Congrats to John. We worked together at the Times Herald-Record a few years ago. John does some great work. My favorites are this one and this one:
Goshen – A woman stood alone in a crowd in a courtyard in the village yesterday during a moment of silence. It marked the moment that the first plane hit the tallest building in the city 60 miles south of here last year. The woman sobbed. She wore black. A year ago a doctor took a piece of one of the towers out of her foot. Who knew but her? Not a little girl who stared. Not lawyers lining the courthouse steps. Not the singer rushing past toward a next engagement. It was a ceremony at the Orange County Government Center. County Executive Edward Diana gave his speech. Some elected people stood near. Diana made a point to introduce them. The woman wore dark glasses. Her shoes were red and showed her small toes. Some of her toes on one foot didn't look right. Diana talked. The woman sobbed. People from the crowd came to her while she wept. They touched her hands and arms and shoulders. One stroked her hair. A young man brought a chair. An older man gave her a napkin. Another woman wrapped her arms around her from behind. "We banded together," Diana said. "Neighbor relied on neighbor. As a community, we began the process of healing together." The woman said her name is Louise. She is 49 and from this county. She worked in the city. "I had to come," she said. "I had family that would come today, but I faced Sept. 11 alone." Louise worked at the Woolworth building. She could see the towers from the 26th floor. She always meant to take a photograph of them. One women said good-bye. Louise asked her name. "Susan." "Do you work here?" "No. Greenville." "Just one more hug." They hugged. Susan left. "They're strangers," Louise said of those who comforted her. She had come to face the thing in her that makes tears. She had meant to do so alone.
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