I was a teenager,19, when it happened; and like most, I remember exactly where I was, and what I was doing. I had been working for the telephone company, it was getting close to Christmas and the union had called a strike. My Dad, Mom and I were all union members and were on strike. I had gone to Sears, thinking some Christmas pocket money would be nice, and turned in an application. I was called back and interviewed and on 11/22/ 1963 at 10:30 a.m., I was at Sears in Long Beach taking a test, as part of the process for gaining employment.
The test takers were in a room seated at tables, we'd been there about 1/2 an hour, when the woman in charge of giving the test came in and said: "I really don't know what to do, but I thought I'd better tell you, the President's been shot". I didn't believe her, "people don't shoot the President of the United States, in these modern times," is what I was thinking. I was also thinking, "this is part of the test, to see how we'll re-act." I finished my test and left the room, and found out it was true. It was a horrid day, and if you were over 10 years old that day, I know you remember where you were and what you were doing.
This is truly how Americans felt on this date.
4 comments:
I also remember the exact place and time. I was 20 and in school as an x-ray technologist. A patient I was x-raying told me about the shooting, and I remember thinking he was telling me a cruel joke. It's amazing how when you think back on that day how clear it all becomes.
I graduated from high school that year and was living at the "Y" in Orlando Florida. I came home from work and all the girls were gathered around the tv watching.
I remember my teacher crying when we came into his classroom ... and I'd never seen a grown man cry before.
I wasn't alive, so I don't remember, but I can imagine how you would. I was 15 when Reagan was shot and remember that in detail. I can imagine how much more that would be in one's mind in a different era and when he was actually killed.
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