Letter: Attack put end to innocence

Friday, Sept. 28, 2001 | 4:25 a.m.

I'm mad ... and a little scared.

I never used to think about airplanes deliberately being crashed into skyscrapers, except in movies by Willis, Schwarzenegger and Stallone.

I sat and watched live the events on Sept. 11 like everybody else did ... and was both sickened and unbelieving.

At 46 my childhood is finally ending. I no longer look at planes flying overhead with bored detachment, but with morbid fascination. "Do they know what they are doing? Is everything all right?"

I see a very low energy in the strangers I see at the store. They look as worried as I do, but they don't know why. I think something is about to happen, but try to smother that fear with a cold jolt of logic. It doesn't go away.

I used to love to watch political talk shows Sunday and shout my opinions at the screen.

I can't do that anymore. I'm not a Democrat anymore. Nor am I a Republican. I'm a proud citizen of the United States, and I'm angry.

I have to trust total strangers in Washington, and I hope they are better than I once thought.

I'm not a child anymore. You can't fool me. Watch out.

MARK BRADSHAW