On the morning of 9/11, I got tagged by daily. That’s OK because I could see that I was about next in line to be called. My concern was where I was going. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go to a major city that could be a potential terrorist target, and to my relief, all I did was an Austin, TX turn (fly from base to Austin, then fly the plane back to base). That morning, I got to the crew room rather early and found a wonderful surprise! There was a flower arrangement in remembrance of all the lives lost on 9/11/2001. It brought tears to my eyes as I just stood for a moment…. remembering where I was when I first heard the devastating news… remembering how hopeless I felt not knowing what our country was going to do next… remembering how angry I was at terrorists…. and remembering how our country pulled together through that horrible time of crisis.
I checked in on the crew room computer, then went upstairs to wait at the gate. I also checked in at the gate and let the gate agent scan my badge. He informed me that at 0846, there would be the first moment of silence. This was the exact time the first plane hit the first tower. I was already heavy-hearted, but I still wanted to wait at the gate to observe this moment. I sat down and waited. Suddenly, a voice over the loudspeaker announced it was the first moment of silence and everybody stopped moving. It was as if time stood still. I couldn’t help myself – the tears began to flow. I quietly sobbed there at the gate. It lasted about 30 seconds, when I had to regain my composure. The trip was thankfully uneventful, and our pax were very quiet that day. I was glad to get through my flight as I prayed for peace in our country during this time.
Upon getting back to the crew room, I saw my classmate who was in between flights. She had a 2-hour sit and was eating something that looked and smelled delicious. Of course she let me sample some, and of course I fell in love with it! I asked her permission to post it on Crew Chew, and she was so thrilled that you can see the excitement on her beautiful face! Thank you, Kristy Casady for letting me share this. I can’t wait to make it and share your yummy recipe!
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked rice
2 cans Bush’s seasoned black beans
1 pack diced ham
1 diced onion
1 diced bell pepper
2 cloves minced garlic
Salt & pepper, cumin to taste
Directions:
Saute ham, onion, bell pepper in a little oil. Add spices to taste. Combine all ingredients, refrigerate, and serve cold!
Crew Chew 