September 11, 2001

September  11, 2001

Did I ever tell you that I am pathologically early? I was working at Catholic Charities in Boston that day.  I didn’t have parking in town, so I took the train from Lynn to North Station then I walked to South Station.  I needed to take another train south.  It left South Station at 0824.  I was sitting it the coffee shop at 0750 drinking coffee and watching the planes take off from Logan Airport thinking what an absolutely beautiful day it was.

My train got to Brockton at 0859.  I was met by my contact at Hanson Printing.  They were printing our annual report and I wanted to tour their print shop. He was listening to the radio asking me if I knew what was going on.  I had no idea.  The local radio station was streaming the New York feed.  They were still trying to figure out what was going on. We just started driving when the second plane hit.

We were quite stunned as I remember.  We went to the print shop and started the tour.  I remember none of us was very much into it.  When I walked back to the offices to get my things to leave,  I saw that the Pentagon was on fire. I kept trying to call my friends at the Pentagon, but there was no service.  I remember falling to my knees on the train platform hitting redial futilely.

The few people on the train heading back into Boston were very sullen but talking about what we thought was happening.  One of them said that the World Trade Center towers were gone. I didn’t believe him. How could that be??

We pulled into South Station and I finally realized that life would never be the same.  When they opened the train doors, people started rushing the train to get on.  I had to fight my way back into the station where I had been sitting so calmly just two hours ago. I briefly went to work but they sent us home.  Now I had to figure out how to get to North Station and catch a train back to Lynn. All of the bars on Canal Street had their TVs on facing the street.  People were watching every one along the way.  Maybe we thought the story would change on a different TV? Maybe it was so unreal, we had to keep looking?

When I finally got on a train, it stopped at every intersection so the police could make sure that someone wasn’t going to drive explosives into us. Someone said that. It was probably bullshit, but who knows? I went to my kids’ school – they were both in elementary school.  The principal told me I might want to leave them there for the rest of the day.  Wouldn’t you just be watching it over and over on the TV.  I said “good point.” My son remembers that he was one of the only kids left in school that day. I ended up walking back and getting them early anyway. 

I remember thinking that I was glad my Father hadn’t lived to see this horrible thing.

Our Pics with the Stanley Cup

Michaela and Lord Stanley

Mr. Old Time Hockey and Me with the Cup

I don't think it has still sunk in that the Bruins won the Stanley Cup.  I am still hockey hungry.  I keep clicking the Bruins tab on the Boston Globe website vainly seeking nuggets of information.  The Cup odyssey stories are very nice - I love the way the Cup has its own personality - but I need the season to start again! Woo!

Stanley Cup Baby!

I am still in shock about the Bruins winning the Stanley Cup.  Not because I didn't think they could do it, but just because it is the most awesome thing ever!!! Ok, deep breaths Maureen!  Check out this cool video, especially around minute 2:04 and you'll see Dave's sign amidst the mosh pit atmosphere of the post game celebration.  Very orderly I might add. Oh was that a fun night!

Mr. CowDung Needs to go!

I sent the following to the NHL - I hope you will consider doing the same:

I wanted to make you aware of a radio personality in the Tampa Bay Area called Mr. Cowhead.  He uses the Lightning logo on the website for his show "The Cowhead Show." As you probably know, this person's feigned outrage at a lighthearted campaign by the Boston Bruins to acknowledge visiting fans caused the Bruins marketing team to remove the ads - not worth the aggravation apparently.

When I checked the website for his show, I saw some outrageously racist, misogynist and homophobic images and thoughts displayed.  He's selling T-shirts with a logo reading "Cow Clux Clan" Tampa division.  Not sure how to make the images of black men hanging from trees go away there.  Also, he is just horrible attacking those who disagree with him on Twitter, calling them "I edited horrible names" ... I think you get the picture.

As a longtime fan of Boston sports, I am very aware of our less than stellar history in race relations which has always made me very sad. However, I am very proud of the fact that the first black NHL player, Willie O'Ree, wore a Spoked B sweater. I just cannot imagine that a team in my beloved NHL could support the ugliness represented by this cowhead individual. 

I hope that you can contact the Lightning management and recommend they sever ties with this repugnant individual and the business he represents.

Thank you,

Maureen Heard

@reenie61b

Thoughts About My Beloved Bruins and an 8-Spoked Salute

I have been a passionate Boston Bruins fan since I was 10 years old when my best friend's Dad took us to my first Bruins game AND I got to meet Bobby Orr. The year was 1971. Bobby Orr walked out of the stick room in a white bathrobe and said "Hello."  I remember he asked me what school I went to and even at 10 years old, I was thinking how amazed I was that he seemed to care where I went to school. I have no idea what I said to him after that, my eyes must have been falling out of my head. He was so nice to me and is still known to be a very nice man. Even then I knew that he was a great hockey player, I just didn’t have the context to know that he was and is arguably the best player to ever lace up skates.

That was the year between Stanley Cups for the Bruins and the year that I learned to effen hate the effen Habs. But that is a story for another day.

What I really want to talk about is the magic moment that unfolded during an otherwise frustrating Bruins playoff game – the 8-Spoked Salute.

At every Bruins game, they salute a man or woman from the Armed Forces of the United States.  They show them on the jumbotron and play their service’s song while everyone cheers and the players tap their sticks.  Sometimes the Soldier or Marine is smiling and cheering, sometimes somber and seemingly uncomfortable with the attention.

Last night, it was the most special salute I have seen. It included two Soldiers, one who was an Iraq veteran, and the other, his father - a Vietnam War veteran. The Dad started out beaming with pride, but as the cheering grew louder, he seemed to become overwhelmed with emotion. I can’t imagine the emotions running through his mind during that moment. I hope that he files away the big hug he and his son got from the Bruins and the Habs fans who were there and takes it out when he needs it. I won’t forget it soon.

Happy Holidays from Toby Keith and the US Military!

My Dad's Father

scan0083, originally uploaded by rroepsch.

This is a picture of my Grandfather from Iowa at his First Communion. How cool is that?