On September 11th, 2001, my best friend Richard Hayden and I witnessed the collapse of the Twin Towers. This event significantly impacted us in different ways. While I decided to travel, Rich joined the Navy with the specific intent of becoming a Corpsman for the Marines. His ideals led him to join the Military and as a result he purposefully put himself in harm’s way. Although I opposed his decision to join the Military, he needed my support and I provided it. The most tense time was when he was serving in Fallujah, Iraq. This piece is a residual product of the anxiety I felt whenever I thought about the vulnerability and fragility of his mortality.
