Road Trip B

So, I received absolutely zero donations since I last wrote.  Some of you would much prefer dragons and are still willing to give me money.  In which case, I will re-release this, with said more exciting elements.

So here we all are, in two cars on our way to public transportation.  Because, after you drive for a great deal of time any alternative becomes attractive to you.  Above ground subways, whatever it is they're called, are an endearing and appealing novelty.  Just so long as you're not the one who has to turn the stupid wheel on the car, or yell obscenities at people who cut you off.  Perhaps a helpful passenger could perform those chores for you, but passengers are often frightened of the prospect.

The way my friend's neighborhood is set up is quite ingenius.  That is to say, not geniusly.  There are more speedbumps, inopportune hills, and stop signs per square mile than follicles of grass.  Maybe there's a word besides follicle.  I don't care.  The few daring cars that make their way onto these "roads" always come to a complete stop, and then gun their way through any intersection they find, and hope no cars were coming on the cross roads.  That's because there are also ingeniously a great deal of bushes and trees that make it so you can't see anything at all.

Have you ever noticed that when you're following someone vehicularly that their accelerator seems a bit more snappy, and traffic laws seem to be more of a nuisance than something that could get you fined?  I've always been of the mind that if I just explain the situation to the officer they will kindly track down my friend, who sped off through the next stop sign and hit a pedestrian family or two no doubt, and ticket them, and probably scold them for being inconsiderate.

After running a marathon of yellow lights, we arrived at the station where we would be able to board another form of transportation.

As I so discreetly aluded to last time, we were traveling on Labor day.  Labor day in Washington D.C. is a lot like the only day I've really spent in Washington D.C., so I cannot say whether traffic was particularly heavy or not.  I can say we got on the trains, and followed my friend and his wife at alternating intervals through the labrynth of public transport.  They seemed to disagree, at times, as to which way was out.  But only, I think, because out seems more like a subjective hopeful sort of thing down there, rather than an infallible compass or mappable direction.  Eventually we got to "the mall."

I say that, because when you get to The National Mall, you're oddly stricken by a lack of ear piercing stands, cellphone case kiosks, and people who offer to do funny weaving sort of things with your eyebrows.  Because in Washington they don't know about our modern lexicon.  So while regular people understand "mall" as a place to shop, in D.C. they're under the impression it's more a "promenade" or generally cozy place for people to walk.  Also, it's about 100 degrees in the mall.  Or out at the mall.  Either way, it is quite a hot day, and they have utterly failed to air condition the whole of the outside.

As we walked around, thinking of where to visit first, we saw a large number of people waiting around holding rifles, instruments, and wearing heavy wool uniforms right next to their very sporty fancy cars.  Though I suppose if you're going to wear a funny sort of uniform and a hat with feathers, you'll probably want a sporty car, so your self respect doesn't beat you senseless and run off with some cute girl.

After some consideration we decided where to go next.  Again, I'm expecting donations here!  If you don't donate this week, "some" consideration could turn into a vertiable ent moot of consideration, with a timely break for tea and crumpets about halfway through.  If we get above $10, we can cut through all the consideration and get right to the place we went to.  I won't even describe walking to the place, we'll just be there!  Instantly!  See you then.

((The first post in this road trip series can be found, here))
((The third post in this series can be found, here))
((The fourth post in this series can be found, here))