COMICS CULTURE SHRAPNEL from CBEM 334

Living

It feels silly to try and talk about anything but the tragedy now. They've hurt my city. The news has been constantly on, keeping us abreast of rescue efforts and the state of the wreckage. I went in search of a newspaper only to find them all sold out. And it's the only thing anyone talks about. I can't even remember the last time I had a conversation about anything else.

Life has ground to a halt here in New York, as they search for survivors and clear the debris. People have been asked to donate blood, medical supplies, and their own sweat and we have given abundantly. Otherwise, we've been told to stay home. The hustle-and-bustle that this city is known for has ceased to exist.

I was in the city Tuesday, since I had school. I stood in Washington Square Park and watched the buildings collapse in turn. I started crying when that happened, as did everyone around me. I cried because they hurt my city, and because I knew it was not going to be okay. Life in this city, and this country, has been changed permanently.

I was stuck in the city, unable to go home which was where I needed to be. Since classes were cancelled and stores were shuttered, I wandered around in a semi-daze, mulling it over in my head. It might amuse you to know that I considered heading to my favorite comic shop for comfort, only to be derailed by the realization that they would be closed as well.

I spent the morning in the computer lab and the afternoon and evening in front of the television in my house (once subway service was restored) reading and watching news footage, taking in as much information as possible. At some point I got sick of it all. You can only watch the same footage a number of times, and search efforts were not going very well due to night falling and the cloud of debris that continued to hang over the area. It's not going to get better any time soon, so I sought refuge in my online comics. Instead, they chose not to present any content, either out of sorrow or respect I'm not really sure. I do hope they change their policy soon, for what I need most of all is a change of pace. I need a smile.

Distraction may come soon as life here in New York starts to move forward again. I have classes, and work. Just as the subways are moving again, so will I. While my heart weighs heavy and I have been deeply hurt emotionally, I am still alive. And so I must be taking advantage of that. I encourage you to do the same. Otherwise we let the terrorists win.