The Monday before Sept. 11, 2001, was like any other day, and unlike any other. For some, Sept. 10 was the last day of an era. For nearly 3,000 people who would be at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and on four hijacked airliners the next day, it was the last day of life. On Staten Island, a fire captain named Joe Farrelly left for work for the last time. He always left a love note for his wife when went to work. On Sept 10 he wrote: "I can't begin to tell you how much I love you... Already I can't wait to come home." Then he left for a 24-hour shift at his firehouse in lower Manhattan. Sept. 10, 2001, was a day of unappreciated ironies and unexpectedly fateful decisions, a day when the important was often overlooked and the trivial often exaggerated. For more stories from this fateful day, visit USATODAY.com