Where were you when...

In the generation that preceeded mine, the end of that question is, "...when Kennedy was shot?" It was the question that froze a moment in time for an entire generation of Americans. It was an event that was indellibly branded into psyches. An event so out of the ordinary, so shocking, that the events in normal lives tangent to this abnormality are never forgotten and thoughts of what if race through your mind.

I was not yet born.

My generation has had three such events. One accidental, two deliberate.

Where were you when the space shuttle Challenger exploded?

January 28, 1986. The world had become complacent with space shuttle launches and landings and, although it was televised, few adjusted their schedules to watch. I was in the second semester of my Freshman year at Oklahoma State University. I was returning from an early class and, as normal, I pushed the power button on my stereo just in time for the ABC news feed to begin on the local radio station. With the normal, authoritative voice, the woman announced, "The worst feared tragedy in the space shuttle program has occurred."

There was a pause, during which I took the time to say, "What, did it blow up?"

The answer came quickly, "The space shuttle Challenger has exploded."

One of my high-school teachers was a finalist for the teacher in space program but was eventually dropped because he was a military reservist. They wanted the person to be completely civilian. I will never forget Christa McAuliffe because, had history played out differently, the name may have been Frank Marcum.

Where were you when the Oklahoma City Federal Building was bombed?

April 19, 1995. I was working for the local cable company. If you've ever walked into a cable company office to pay your bill, you know there is always a television on. For some reason that morning, every single television in that building was dark - including the small portable TV on my desk. Some time after 10am (the bomb went off at 9:02am), I received a phone call from my wife. "Mom's okay. She didn't go to work this morning."

"That's good to hear. Why wouldn't she be okay?"

"Haven't you heard? There was an explosion at the Murrah building in Oklahoma City."

"No. I don't have the TV on. So?"

"That's the building mom works in."

Realization sets in. "How bad?"

"Real bad. I just turned on my radio but I haven't heard much. Go check the news and let me know. We don't have access to a TV up here."

I rush up to the front of the building but the TV isn't on. I tell the attendants about the explosion, then head to the break room to view the news on a larger television than the one on my desk. That TV is also off.

As the picture quickly warmed the screen, the two news anchors discuss the event. "Once again, there has been an explosion at the Murrah federal building in downtown Oklahoma City. We don't have many details right now but we're told it may be a gas line or other utility explosion." They went on for another couple of minutes then brought in a live shot from their news helecopter. The front of the building had been sheered off. I knew instantly that it was no utility explosion.

For the rest of the day, I could not tear myself away from the television. I had to go to Tulsa (about 60 miles) and was glad for the visual break. I never made it because the tire on the company van went flat about 10 miles outside of town and there was no spare. I was fortunate enough to encounter another company truck returning to the office along the same road.

I later learned that my sister-in-law had planned on bringing her kids to the daycare center where 19 innocents lost their lives and would surprise my mother-in-law at lunch time. She did not know that my mother-in-law had called in sick. My wife originally had an appointment in Oklahoma City that morning. Had it not been rescheduled, she would have dropped by to visit her mother, as was her habit, around 9:00am before going to her appointment. Had history played out differently, I could have lost six members of my family - one the day before her second birthday.

That day still haunts me.

Where were you when the world trade centers were attacked?

September 11, 2001. Three years ago today. A coordinated terrorist attack drives an airplane into each of the two world trade center towers and the Pentagon. A third plane, possibly headed for the White House, is driven to the ground short of its target. The world would watch as catastrophic structural failure collapsed the two towers minutes apart.

I was working for Oklahoma State University. I was training someone how to use our email system.

As we took a break at the midway point, a coworker told me, "A plane crashed into the world trade center." as he passed me in the hall. I vaguely recalled the plane that hit the Empire State Building and wasn't too concerned. Moments later, he would tell me of the second impact.

My student and I took a few minutes to view the news - there was a TV on in one of the computer labs - and caught the replay of the second plane hitting tower 2. I knew then that it was no accident.

I will never forget where I was when...