WASHINGTON DC

++ ON SATURDAY I DECIDED i wanted to go to washongton dc. i actually went back to dayton to pick up some soccer clothes. at 5 i called a friend in beavercreek and asked if she wanted to get coffee. she said give her half an hour, so i did. picked her up. went to books and co. had some truffles coffee, which is oh so delicious. i think i actually like that coffee more so than any other coffee. its so smooth. in the words of a roommate, scrumptulecent. and so we didn't talk except for when we were in the car going to and from the bookstore. but thats fine. it was actually nice just to hang out. we got coffee. i looked at books. she looked at books. oh right, this story isn't about drinking coffee with old high school friends, its about washington dc...

so i decided at 6 in the evening that i wanted to go to washington dc, so i called up another old old school friend who lives and works in columbus and told him i was coming through columbus and that i was going to dc and he could ride along if he wanted or not, but that he had the time it took me to get from dayton to columbus to decide. a little convincing. he called back in15 minutes, said, "let's roll." by 9 we were on the road. i called yet another old high school friend living in dc and told him he better f-ing be in dc tonight, because i'm rolling in at 4 in the morning and it would be nice to have a place to crash. fortunately for us (unfortunately for him) he was there.

i never knew 8 hours in a car could have so little conversation. well, actually there was conversation, just not much. but it wasn't awkward silence. i've known him long enough. i know the stupid stuff he used to do when he went through puberty. actually i knew him before he went through puberty. thats awkward enough. there's no need for it now.

"have you seen the holocaust museum?"
"yeah."
"do you like it?"
"yeah, its ok, actually when was it?"
"what, the holocaust? years ago."
"no, when was it built, jackass."
"no idea."

tick tock tick tock.
gas.
gas.
coffee.
change drivers.
red bull.
wrong turn. back on track.
phonecall. "we're in the city."
"cool. see you in 5." click.
incoming phonecall, "did you just call?"
"yeah, i just talked to you for five minutes."
"haha. sorry, i was pretty much asleep."
"yeah? awake now?"
"yeah. so you in the city?"
"yup, still in the city."
"cool, see you in 5."
"later."

"you ever been here?"
"no. i've only lived here for 5 months."
"welcome to your city."

"hey, there are no pictures during service."
"i was taking a picture of the door."
"nice job jay, you got us kicked out of church."
"what? i was taking a picture of the door."

"holy shit its cold in here."
"hey waitress, do you guys have the heat on in here?"
"you know it would be warmer if we were standing outside with no jacket on than it is in here?"

Silence and Respect
"the United States Army. Guard of Arms. Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. the ceremony you are about to winess is the CHanging of the Guards. In keeping with the dignity of this ceremony, it is requested that everyone remain silent and standing. Thank you."

"so you're dating up?"
"yeah, she's a league or two above me in salary."
"yeah, no shit. i feel like i should take my shoes off to walk down the hallway of this apartment complex."

"so what do you think of her?"
"she's definately very intelligent."
"yeah, she's really smart."
"yeah, thats what i gathered from talking to her for an hour. what the hell is wrong with her?"
"what?"
"she's dating you?"

"hey, thanks for letting us crash at your place last night."
"tell him to tell his roommate that i think she's hot."
"tell your roommate that she's hot."
"no, tell him to tell her that i think she's hot."
"tell your roommate that he thinks she is hot."
"make sure she know's it from me."
"he says to make sure she knows its from him."
"oh, ok, i'll be sure to pass that note to her between 2nd and 3rd period on my way to study hall."
"he said he would pass the note to her between 2nd and 3rd period on his way to study hall."
"thanks, jackass."

tick tock. tick tock.

"you hungry?"
"not really."
"so where's the next exit."

"i vote no short-cut on the way back."
"i agree."
"i think all that turning made me sick."
"do i need to pull over."
"no, i'll give you enough warning."

"this place is still stuck in the civil war."
"yeah, except that the waitresses are all strippers."
"they had those in the civil war."

leftovers while driving with a rock star. no, the drink, not him.
thanks for tagging along. next time i'll give you two hours notice instead of one. ++