Towers Falling

Ben and Dèja see Dora and Pop as soon as they reach the top of the steps out of the subway. Dora hugs Ben, asks him how he could skip school, and checks to make sure he’s all right. Ben is relieved that she’s more worried than mad at him.

Pop looks mad, but Dèja is happy that he didn’t call Ma, so she didn’t have to miss work. She thinks about explaining that she’s sorry and that she went to understand him better, but she doesn’t say anything. Pop picks her up and gives her a big hug. She feels good. He thanks Dora, which surprises Dèja since she hasn’t heard him talk to anyone outside the family.

She thinks that he’s changed. He smiles, telling her that they’ll talk when they get home. 

Pop and Dèja sit on the bed with his suitcase between them. Pop holds her hand and explains that Ma thinks he should’ve told her about this experience before, but he wanted to protect her. He didn’t think she was old enough to know. Dèja senses his stress and realizes that he is being brave by working against it. She first agrees that she isn’t old enough, but he challenges her kindly by saying she’s old enough if she was willing to go to the memorial.

Dèja asks him what happened to him. Pop responds that she knows what happened that day, but Dèja wants to know specifically what happened to him. He opens the suitcase. He shows her the picture of him with two other men. He explains that their names are Luis and Big Kelly and that they were friends who worked together. He adds, “And me, fifteen years ago, so young and stupid. James Barnes” (206). Dèja tells him that he’s not stupid, but he answers that he’s felt stupid ever since 9/11 because he couldn’t save his friends. His head starts to hurt, but he wants to finish.

He tells her about his friends and how they were the front desk security team. They welcomed visitors, signed for packages, and said hello to the workers. They worked in the North Tower. Dèja says it was like a home, and Pop agrees.

Pop worked at the North Tower for five years and knew everyone. He says that he wishes he’d told Dèja years ago, but he’s been too scared. He still senses all of it. September 11th was the clearest day he’d ever seen in New York, and so he’s even reminded of it on beautiful days.

First, he pulls out his nametag and his walkie-talkie. He’d heard Luis and Kelly’s call for help on it. Even though Pop said they shouldn’t take the elevator, they did because they wanted to help as quickly as possible. He adds that he doesn’t even know if they ever got off it. He starts to cry: “See, Dèja. I don’t exactly know what happened. But I imagine. Imagining makes my head ache, explode. Pow” (211).

He shows her his flashlight, which he’d used to see on the stairs. He recognized every face coming down the steps, all filled with fear. Pop went up and up. He saw the firemen and the Port Authority Police. Twelve floors up, he ran into Mrs. Able who asked for his help. He carried her down. As the building shook, his back and arms became bruised. They barely made it out as the tower collapsed.

Pop shows Dèja his wallet, which was dirty even though it had been in his pocket that day. Mrs. Able survived. There were ashes everywhere, and Pop kept some, which he shows to Dèja, saying that they remind him that it’s what makes him cough. They also remind him how he couldn’t protect his friends and how he can’t protect his family now.

Dèja tells him that she thinks he’s a hero. She also asks him to think about how happy she made Mrs. Able’s family. Without him, Ma would’ve been with someone different. He says that person would be better, but Dèja retorts, “How can you say that? I’m Dèja. The original. One and only. You’re my brave Pop” (217). She hugs and kisses him, which makes Pop laugh.

Then she asks him why the terrorists hate them, and he says he doesn’t know, but the World Trade Center was “America’s financial engine. The American Dream” (217). He feels like he’s lost his American dream since he can’t hold a job and is always anxious. Dèja says that the terrorists didn’t understand that families and relationships were broken. If they had understood this, she thinks, they wouldn’t have been able to hurt innocent people.

Dèja thinks that she never should’ve been angry at Pop now that she understands what he went through on 9/11. She also adds that six weeks at her new school has changed everything. She understands more of what happened to her family, all families, and to her country. She then tells Pop, “I think maybe the terrorists hate us because we believe in freedom. For everybody. Freedom to be who you are and have different religions. Isn’t that why folks immigrate? That’s what makes our society family. America, home. Even though we’re all different, we’re the same. Americans” (218).

Pop says she must be the smartest in her class, but she says she’s not, though she is learning. She adds that they should go see the memorial and museum, and Pop agrees, saying that they should go together. 

The final chapter is an essay by Dèja called “What Doesn’t Ever Change.” In it, she explains that Pop has new medicine. They walk together every night and talk, which helps them both. She’ll be in sixth grade next year. They’re moving to an apartment. Their relationships will never change, and they’re always important.

She says that America is one big family, and everyone did what they could to help on 9/11, though some were killed and others were hurt, like her dad and Ben’s dad, who came to New York to visit.

Dèja is glad she learned about 9/11. She sees how America has and has not changed. The values are part of everyone’s present. She adds that Miss Garcia had nightmares after 9/11 and that people being willing to help each other made her feel better.

Dèja loves her American home. It’s not perfect, but they’re a family. She finishes by saying, “It’s the fifteenth anniversary of 9/11. Americans believe in freedom. Two hundred and forty years as a nation, and this belief hasn’t changed” (222). 

The last chapter contains a picture that Ben drew of the two of them with Miss Garcia and Sabeen.