A meme.
Princess Diana’s death – August 31, 1997
I remember this very vividly. It was a Sunday and I was working at the Fremantle Markets, for M’s dad (M and I were to start going out in December that year). As I left the house that morning I heard that she had been involved in a car accident and was quite seriously injured. Later that afternoon, around 1 or 2pm I think, the newsreader on the radio at the stall, announced that she’d died. M’s Opa, a very staunch anti-monarchist, said “Good riddance! Royal parasite!” or words to that effect. I remember his vehemence and the shock that some customers expressed both at the news of her death, and at Opa’s sentiments.
Margaret Thatcher’s Resignation – November 22, 1990
I don’t remember at all what I would have been doing, nor do I recall my reaction to this news. I wasn’t very aware of current affairs or politics at that time, I’m afraid. (I was twenty.)
Attack on the Twin Towers – September 11, 2001
I remember this well, too. It was a Tuesday night, and M picked me up from work (evening reference shift at the library, back when I used to do reference, and the library used to have an evening reference service). We’d just got in when M’s brother called, very excited, and said “Switch on the tv!” I thought it was a joke when I saw the plane crash into the tower. When I realised it was no joke (the scenes of the tower collapsing were frightening), I remember wondering what this all meant, and hoping it was all just a really freakish accident. The next day at work it was the only thing people could talk about, and everyone was a bit shellshocked.
England’s World Cup Semi-Final against Germany – July 4, 1990
*Snort* I don’t remember any sport-related events, I don’t think!
President Kennedy’s assassination – November 22, 1963
I hadn’t been born yet…
Where were you?
As seen on personal political, normblog and NightHawk.
One Comment
Hmm…
Diana’s death: I was at a special training session for a gym display. I heard about the accident on the way there, and everyone had different versions of the story. Where they all came from I don’t know, considering that we had all been stuck in training all day :p
Margaret Thatcher’s resignation: I was 7. I didn’t even know she resigned until just now. But I do have vague memories of being aware of big stuff going on in the world that year, probably from my parents talking about it. The USSR was coming apart at that time, wasn’t it?
September 11: My dad was the one who fetched the whole family to come and look at the TV. He’d been reading a spy/adventure story, and suddenly became aware that the radio was /also/ talking about planes flying into buildings. We sat in front of the TV all evening. The next day seemed very surreal – riding the train and walking around uni in a daze.
World Cup Final: I was 6. What’s so important about that one anyway? I do remember the year South Africa won the rugby world cup, because that was the day our rabbit chewed through the power cable of the tv, or maybe the aerial, and we had to rush to a friend’s house to watch the game. It’s probably lucky for the rabbit that we won :p
Kennedy’s Assassination: Also not born yet…