What if

This week's New York magazine is very compelling. The cover asks, "What if 9/11 never happened?" Then inside there are different writers' versions of an alternative history.

In another section, there are closeup photos of some artifacts recovered from the ruins of the World Trade Center. One shot is of a jewelry box with pearls that had been in a safety deposit box at Chase. The pearls look like little dark gray and brown metal pellets. Fascinating. Creepy.

Then comes an article called "Survivors' Circle -- Eight who were there meet and compare lives." It's a very interesting discussion format piece. A few highlights:

"I was very angry for a couple of months," says one survivor. "What made me really angry was the therapists: They were like, 'Oh try to go back and do what you normally do.' Well, I normally went to the World Trade Center and went to work! I was like, 'No, I can't go back.'"

When people say to you, 'You're here for a reason,' there's a pressure," says another survivor. "You're like, 'What the hell is it?'"

Imagine that.