this, because this is practically a declaration of war." And that marked Kennedy's address, and the following events, in my memory.

my mom and dad were telling us how to meet up if something happened. Scary to the bones.

I was in Key West for that, thanks to my dad's military job.

I looked around the house for a place for my family to shelter in case of nuclear war. There was an old coal bin in the basement, and a crawl space. I thought either one of those places might work.

many of my peers. My brother was in the Navy and his fleet was deployed to the location as protection for the embargo.

I listened to all news reports during that time. I carried my forbidden transistor radio to school with me, tucked it into my clothing, and ran an ear bud up through it, covered by my shoulder length hair to listen to Ambassador Stevenson address the UN. My Civics teacher noticed that I sat with my head tilted and came to my desk to investigate. I thought I was in big trouble, but when he learned what I was listening to, he had me turn up the volume for the class to hear.

I have the movie 13 Days and have watched it a number of times.

Those of us who had parents in the military were even more worried. Were our parents coming home tonight, or were they being sent off? I looked at the mountain containing NORAD, and prayed that the damned sirens did not go off.

Thank Goddess that the warmongers did not prevail.

I was in school and you could hear nothing but footsteps as we changed classes.

I didn't hear silence like that until 9/11.

I don't want to hear it again.

I was in grade school and was waiting for a packet of info from the Cuban chamber of commerce or whoever address I had mailed a request to. I mailed requests all over the world to addresses I found in a book in the library to ask about the main commerce of the country. I told them I was a kid doing a report. Really it was for girl scout presentations for badges. Anyway Cuba was the only one I hadn't received something from at the time So I asked my Mom if I wouldn't get anything since that happened.She didn't think so but I did get a big packet of stuff mostly about the sugar ind. I guess I was a bit young to completely get what was going on. Although I did get that Russia was setting up missiles all over Cuba, Central and South Americas pointed at us.