It started out as a normal Tuesday, clear skies, cool fall temperatures, and clean crisp air. But it didn’t start out as I planned. I pictured me waking up refreshed and ready to take my life altering test with ease. But of course life decides to kick in  and I wake up late because I stayed up all night studying for my English  test. This test is worth studying for because it’s the one that decides whether I pass for the marking period. And if that weren’t enough I showed up to school looking like a clown because my clothes wasn’t in sync. But that didn’t madder in comparison to this, I didn’t have a pencil to take the dreaded  test. The test was in scan-tron format.
            It’s  now  eight fifty, second period. For some reason my math teacher dismissed the class earlier than usual. It seemed my luck was picking up not really I still need the pencil for my test. I had about ten minutes to locate a friend that  can lend me a simple number two pencil. I was on the first floor hallway when I see  Andrew my lab partner. I walked toward him. I noticed a lot of commotion in the hallways more than usual anyway. I was to focused on finding a pencil  that I didn’t  ask anyone what was going on? When I reached Andrew I asked him if he had something to write with, not being specific on what kind of writing instrument I needed. While  he was looking for something to write with, I notice he seemed to have a sense of  concern on his face . I didn’t care what he was concern about but I asked what was wrong ? Anyway. He said a bunch of word like tower, gas leak, and accident . I wasn’t interested in what he had to say, he gave me a pen. At the time I didn’t know it was a pen, I was half way to my English class room before I noticed.
            Now the hunt was on to find a number two pencil once again. I stopped in the middle of the hallway to spot anyone I knew that could lend me a pencil. The hallway was crowded with people I didn’t know, I was freshmen back then. Now looking back it depresses me that I was loser because I  didn’t have to many friends. I again noticed the hallways were filled with aimless confusion. Then I heard a familiar voice in the background. It was Alvin the random kid that always talks to me in gym. I jogged  to him, I was down to about six minutes before class started. Before I even asked him for a pencil he began to say random words. Words like we’re going home, United States , and under attack. I thought  he was talking about a game. I didn’t care about what he had to say I just asked for a pencil. But  he said no but he was useful because he redirected me to a person who might just have one, Ashlee.
                       He told me she was on the second floor. So I regathered all my thoughts and dashed towards the nearest staircase. I was nerves because Ashlee was my first freshmen crush. When I was about to reach the second floor entrance  I ran into her. I finally had an excuse to talk to her. She was in my Spanish class and I would always bug her because I didn’t understand  what the teacher would say. I couldn’t help notice her pale face. Before I asked my question, I had asked her what was wrong? And if she was ok? I looked at my watch I was down to 2 minutes.
                        She replied by saying my father in building, fire , and an accident. I regret this but at the time didn’t give two about what was going on out side. I stop her in mid sentence and asked her if she had a pencil that I could borrow? She gave me a brand new sharpened pencil.  I said thank you and began my mad dash to the first floor were my fate laid. I left her alone in a crowded hallway, alone. On my way down I noticed two of my teachers crying on one another. I didn’t give a second thought to it. I was four class rooms away from my English class room. The hallways were empty now. Before I reached my destination I saw an empty class room with a TV in it turn on. The news was on  reporting that a plane flew  into one of the Twin Tower. Its now nine o’ two and on the screen another plane flies into the second tower. It was nine o’ three on September eleventh two thousand one, when I realized that I wasn’t the only one having a bad day.
                      If I would have stopped for a second and listen to Andrew, he would have told me that there was an accident in the World Trade Center. If I would have listen to Alvin the random kid who talks to me in gym , he would have told me that we are probably going to be sent home because the United States is under attack. If I would have listened to Ashlee, she would have said that her father is working in tower one of the World Trade Center. If I would have taken the time to listen to them I probably wouldn’t  have gone crazy looking for an insignificant pencil. But it was incidental duty to find one. On September eleventh two thousand one I realized the world was suffering but I was to selfish to stop and listen.
                 Its now two thousand five, I am a senior now. Ashlee never spoke to me again. Her father made it out fine thou. He luckily was running an errand outside the World Trade Center. Oh and the test that was so significant,  I ended up failing and that resulted in me going to summer school. On that world changing day I learned the meaning of being selfish. Not by a dictionary or by observing a person no, I learned it through my very own actions. I still keep the pencil Ashlee gave me in hope that I will return it one day.