Today is the ninth anniversary of Princess Di's death. It was late August 1997 and I had just moved to NYC. School was starting and I was trying awkwardly to make new friends. NYC was unbearably hot and the university housing office (the devil) had stuck me in the crappiest building. I had one square room off a hallway, with windows that opened onto the air shaft. The room didn't get any light or circulation.
I was never a fan of Princess Di. Didn't love her, didn't hate her, didn't care. Still, I remember exactly where I was when I heard about her car accident. It was night and I was riding in a cab through Central Park with a new friend. We were cruising through the park, on our way downtown to meet some other new friends. The cabbie had the radio on and the commentator said that Princess Di had been in a major car accident in Paris. Condition critical. My friend, a Korean girl from England (whose accent I found fascinating and a little hard to understand), and I didn't think anything of it. In fact, I think I said something callous and poked fun at the whole English royalty thing.
That cab ride is one of my earliest memories of life in New York. I remember the feeling of being in a new place. Of walking through campus and thinking that I was really, finally living in New York. Far away from anything familiar. A clean slate. I can't believe that was nine years ago.
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3 comments:
Isn't strange how points in our lives are revolved around events?
I don't remember anything unless I have some event to relate it to-- Like the space shuttle event, the OJ verdict, Seinfield finale, opening of In'N'Out near the house...
yea, i remember watching the tv coverage of that with my cousin in our apartment, late at night for hours, i can't believe how much of it we watched...i have distinct memories of watching coverage of her wedding too when i was little.
I don't think I've seen such large point type in our local paper as when Diana was killed. I remember going to the newsbox and being blown away, 50% by the actual news and 50% by the size type used in the headline.
I don't think our paper used anything close to that size since, including all news on Saddam Hussein and Iraq.
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