5.09 - A.C. to D.C. (Part 2)
Disturbed by the prospect of my poisoning the lives of those close to me, I medicated myself with reruns of Charmed and two beef bratwursts from Danielle's stash. I didn't want to dwell on the negative, so by 11:00, I got dressed for the day, put clothes to change in to for the tour - leaving the rest in Dixie's room - figuring Maritza and I would stay another night. Not remembering she had to work.
It took about an hour to get from A.U. to the Metro station near Diana's. I enjoy the Metro - seeing a cross section of people in a diverse sample which is utterly lacking from Meadville, Carlisle, Fox Chapel - every little enclave I've ended up in. It helped to remind me where I want to be - a city by the sea.
My Darling Girl and Diana picked me up outside and we drove back to Diana's, then hoofed it for fifteen minutes to get to an area of Arlington where Diana had some pet favorite restaurants. We selected an open air Indian food restaurant overlooking a fountain in a mall-type complex. I can't remember ever having Indian food before, but going off Diana's recommendation and ordering chicken tandori, I was pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere was also seductive. Two attractive women and I, talking and eating at a delightful restaurant just off the beaten path, the sun coming down and sounds of the city all around. I remember taking a few minutes to take it in, rejuvenate my soul for the long months ahead in Meadville.
After lunch, we took the Metro to Georgetown and spent the afternoon walking around, going in and looking around a few shops, never too seriously. We got ice cream from this place Maritza remembers with special fondness for their tiramisu milkshakes. I got a chocolate shake and enjoyed it while Diana got a blend of granola, Snickers, and banana. Health food nut, that she is. We sat outside and I pulled out my palm reading 101 training to read their palms, dismaying them with portents of the future they really didn't want. After my gloomy predictions, we went in search of a real palm reader to confirm or deny what I'd told them. We found one - but she was busy and told us to come back later. Shadows were getting long and we planned out a complex strategy so I could retrieve my clothes before our dinner plans at 6:15.
At 4:30, I left them and hopped on the Metro to get to A.U. At 5:00, I was outside of Dixie's dorm and put in a call, leaving a message on her machine. I sat outside, listening to my iPod, gathering more than a few curious looks from Allegheny students interning in D.C. One from my calculus class even came up and introduced himself. I sort of remembered him, but we really met because he knew my reputation of sorts and name from the class. I'm hoping it's not the fact that my memory is awful, but that I'm especially memorable that accounts for the number of people who know me before I do them.
At 5:30, Dixie called me back and told me she was a ten-minute shuttle away. I called Diana and we arranged for me to meet her on the roof of the Hotel Washington where we had dinner reservations (Have I mentioned how much I LOVE life in the city?!?). She gave me directions and told me to be there by 6:45. I agreed and figured that to get from A.U. to the Metro station, through the underground tunnels, to the stop near the Hotel Washinton, I'd probably need the whole forty five minutes. Which meant as long as I left Dixie's by six, I'd be good.
Dixie arrived at 5:40 and we chatted while heading in. She was wiped and after I scooped up my belongings into a plastic bag, we hugged and I let her go to sleep. I traveled to the Hotel Washington by the course Diana and I had outlined. It only took half an hour and after I called Diana, sat in the hotel lobby. I felt a little underdressed in my flip flops and pinstripe shorts with people in black tie attire strolling by. At 7:00, Maritza and Diana still hadn't arrived and I called to see where they were. Traffic. They told me they'd be along shortly and I relocated from the lobby to the roof, where a steady stream of people were going up and down. I waited by the elevators for another ten minutes when they arrived. My Darling Girl had my bag with my clothes in it and after we were seated, I went to the bathroom to change.
I came back to the table much more confident, catching the eye of each of the five girls at the table. Aside from Maritza and Diana were Diana's roommates - Leeann, blonde Amy, and brunette Amy. I was seated between the two Amy's, looking out at the Washington monument. The sun was going down in a terrific lightshow, accenting the architecture and majesty of the city. It was cooling off, but in a blazer, pullover, dress shirt, and tank - I was good. Looking out, feeling the wind breezing softly and hearing a jazzy tune from somewhere below, I basked in the glory which is the metropolis.
Off of brunette Amy's order, I ordered a glass of chardonnay with my fake I.D. I was carded and proceeded to produce the fake, which passed inspection. For dinner, I had a cheeseburger which was thick and a bit of a trick to eat while maintaining formality. I had a chance to use my etiquette and protocol rules from the metrosexual guidebook, an opportunity I'm rarely presented with in Meadville or Carlisle. Closer to 8:30 than 8:00, we got out of there and headed over to the White House.
We'd seen Marine One land earlier, and with the President in the White House there was a chance our tour would be cancelled. It was not the case and after we passed through security, we were led around on Diana's first tour. She was reading from a cheat sheet, but that was okay. We went through the Old Executive Building, then into the Press Room where I had my picture taken at the podium and in Helen Thomas' seat. We then went over to the West Wing, saw the Roosevelt Room, Oval Office, Cabinet Room, and Rose Garden. The thing that made our tour different from the others you might be able to procure was that Diana works in the Situation Room - giving us more access. She got us down into the Sit Room and I took a few minutes to sit in the President's chair. Not good for my ego - sharing ass-space with George W.
After the tour, we went back to Arlington and parted ways. Maritza and I headed out and had a rigorous discussion on the way back about feminism, the ways men are abused by women, justice principles applied to rape, and topics which were unusually sex-salient for us. We talk about differences between men and women often, but not usually taking sides like we did. But that's the joy of friends - you can talk about this stuff without fear of never seeing the person again. I also confessed to her my newfound fear of being a bad friend and detriment to the lives of my friends.
My Darling Girl and I returned to Carlisle at 1:30 Thursday morning. We hugged and I told her I'd call when I returned to Meadville. I went up to bed, too tired to do much else. I stripped down, lay in bed, and staring at the ceiling thought about the conflicting emotions I'd experienced in the last two days. The euphoric high of city life versus the doubtful low of my inadvertent interference in Dixie's life. The pleasure of touring the White House and indulgent dread of the Tuesday afternoon hike. And the question looming above me, beyond the ceiling and sky - is my mere presence harmful? Should I be close to people if all I'm going to do is cause them trouble? All the sensations of those last days swirling in my head blended with sleep and soon became the fodder for uncomfortable dreams.
It took about an hour to get from A.U. to the Metro station near Diana's. I enjoy the Metro - seeing a cross section of people in a diverse sample which is utterly lacking from Meadville, Carlisle, Fox Chapel - every little enclave I've ended up in. It helped to remind me where I want to be - a city by the sea.
My Darling Girl and Diana picked me up outside and we drove back to Diana's, then hoofed it for fifteen minutes to get to an area of Arlington where Diana had some pet favorite restaurants. We selected an open air Indian food restaurant overlooking a fountain in a mall-type complex. I can't remember ever having Indian food before, but going off Diana's recommendation and ordering chicken tandori, I was pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere was also seductive. Two attractive women and I, talking and eating at a delightful restaurant just off the beaten path, the sun coming down and sounds of the city all around. I remember taking a few minutes to take it in, rejuvenate my soul for the long months ahead in Meadville.
After lunch, we took the Metro to Georgetown and spent the afternoon walking around, going in and looking around a few shops, never too seriously. We got ice cream from this place Maritza remembers with special fondness for their tiramisu milkshakes. I got a chocolate shake and enjoyed it while Diana got a blend of granola, Snickers, and banana. Health food nut, that she is. We sat outside and I pulled out my palm reading 101 training to read their palms, dismaying them with portents of the future they really didn't want. After my gloomy predictions, we went in search of a real palm reader to confirm or deny what I'd told them. We found one - but she was busy and told us to come back later. Shadows were getting long and we planned out a complex strategy so I could retrieve my clothes before our dinner plans at 6:15.
At 4:30, I left them and hopped on the Metro to get to A.U. At 5:00, I was outside of Dixie's dorm and put in a call, leaving a message on her machine. I sat outside, listening to my iPod, gathering more than a few curious looks from Allegheny students interning in D.C. One from my calculus class even came up and introduced himself. I sort of remembered him, but we really met because he knew my reputation of sorts and name from the class. I'm hoping it's not the fact that my memory is awful, but that I'm especially memorable that accounts for the number of people who know me before I do them.
At 5:30, Dixie called me back and told me she was a ten-minute shuttle away. I called Diana and we arranged for me to meet her on the roof of the Hotel Washington where we had dinner reservations (Have I mentioned how much I LOVE life in the city?!?). She gave me directions and told me to be there by 6:45. I agreed and figured that to get from A.U. to the Metro station, through the underground tunnels, to the stop near the Hotel Washinton, I'd probably need the whole forty five minutes. Which meant as long as I left Dixie's by six, I'd be good.
Dixie arrived at 5:40 and we chatted while heading in. She was wiped and after I scooped up my belongings into a plastic bag, we hugged and I let her go to sleep. I traveled to the Hotel Washington by the course Diana and I had outlined. It only took half an hour and after I called Diana, sat in the hotel lobby. I felt a little underdressed in my flip flops and pinstripe shorts with people in black tie attire strolling by. At 7:00, Maritza and Diana still hadn't arrived and I called to see where they were. Traffic. They told me they'd be along shortly and I relocated from the lobby to the roof, where a steady stream of people were going up and down. I waited by the elevators for another ten minutes when they arrived. My Darling Girl had my bag with my clothes in it and after we were seated, I went to the bathroom to change.
I came back to the table much more confident, catching the eye of each of the five girls at the table. Aside from Maritza and Diana were Diana's roommates - Leeann, blonde Amy, and brunette Amy. I was seated between the two Amy's, looking out at the Washington monument. The sun was going down in a terrific lightshow, accenting the architecture and majesty of the city. It was cooling off, but in a blazer, pullover, dress shirt, and tank - I was good. Looking out, feeling the wind breezing softly and hearing a jazzy tune from somewhere below, I basked in the glory which is the metropolis.
Off of brunette Amy's order, I ordered a glass of chardonnay with my fake I.D. I was carded and proceeded to produce the fake, which passed inspection. For dinner, I had a cheeseburger which was thick and a bit of a trick to eat while maintaining formality. I had a chance to use my etiquette and protocol rules from the metrosexual guidebook, an opportunity I'm rarely presented with in Meadville or Carlisle. Closer to 8:30 than 8:00, we got out of there and headed over to the White House.
We'd seen Marine One land earlier, and with the President in the White House there was a chance our tour would be cancelled. It was not the case and after we passed through security, we were led around on Diana's first tour. She was reading from a cheat sheet, but that was okay. We went through the Old Executive Building, then into the Press Room where I had my picture taken at the podium and in Helen Thomas' seat. We then went over to the West Wing, saw the Roosevelt Room, Oval Office, Cabinet Room, and Rose Garden. The thing that made our tour different from the others you might be able to procure was that Diana works in the Situation Room - giving us more access. She got us down into the Sit Room and I took a few minutes to sit in the President's chair. Not good for my ego - sharing ass-space with George W.
After the tour, we went back to Arlington and parted ways. Maritza and I headed out and had a rigorous discussion on the way back about feminism, the ways men are abused by women, justice principles applied to rape, and topics which were unusually sex-salient for us. We talk about differences between men and women often, but not usually taking sides like we did. But that's the joy of friends - you can talk about this stuff without fear of never seeing the person again. I also confessed to her my newfound fear of being a bad friend and detriment to the lives of my friends.
My Darling Girl and I returned to Carlisle at 1:30 Thursday morning. We hugged and I told her I'd call when I returned to Meadville. I went up to bed, too tired to do much else. I stripped down, lay in bed, and staring at the ceiling thought about the conflicting emotions I'd experienced in the last two days. The euphoric high of city life versus the doubtful low of my inadvertent interference in Dixie's life. The pleasure of touring the White House and indulgent dread of the Tuesday afternoon hike. And the question looming above me, beyond the ceiling and sky - is my mere presence harmful? Should I be close to people if all I'm going to do is cause them trouble? All the sensations of those last days swirling in my head blended with sleep and soon became the fodder for uncomfortable dreams.