Safe and sound in D.C.
By Drew Davis, Passions and Perceptions
I recently returned from a ten-day conference in Washington, D.C. Have you ever been? It was my first trip to our nation’s capital and, to be quite honest, I was not holding my breath for an enjoyable experience. That may come as a surprise for those who know me, as I have long been interested in our government, admire service to country and aspire, myself, to one day serve in office. These things considered, I nonetheless went with a host of negative stereotypes in mind. Over the years I’d rarely been impressed with the news or stories about life in D.C. and, beyond my desire to explore our country’s most historical monuments and memorials, had little desire to go. When you grow up hearing that D.C. has the shortest life expectancy in the U.S., has an out of control AIDS epidemic, is home of innumerable political scandals and has a crime rate that rivals a Somali ghetto, you’re not exactly inclined to rush off for a visit. In all fairness, however, anyone I knew who had visited absolutely loved it. After I arrived at Reagan airport, I headed to the subway with my luggage for a jaunt to my downtown hotel — Hotel Lombardy, only four blocks from the White House. I expected to see a grimy metro station laden with the homeless. My expectation was quickly debunked. You couldn’t even get in without a paid ticket, and food and drink were not allowed on the trains, eliminating litter almost altogether. I was actually impressed. After arriving downtown, I exited the tunnel to busy sidewalks that, too, were nearly immaculate. A man in a neon vest and pushing a garbage can quickly approached me as I stepped into the daylight. "Here we go," I thought, "he needs a dollar." The vest read City Ambassador. "Welcome to D.C.!" he exclaimed, as he handed me a map. "Can I help you find your destination?" The nice man pointed me in the direction of my stay — about 5 blocks away — and bid me well; he went along cleaning up the sidewalks. I debated hailing a cab, thinking someone may try to rob this obvious-out-of-towner and steal my luggage before my trip even began. I decided to hoof it. I passed young and old and arrived at my hotel without the slightest problem. It was evening by the time I unpacked, but I was eager to see as much as I could before my conference began for the week. I headed down Pennsylvania Avenue armed only with my map and long-held biases. On my two and a half hour expedition I didn’t see gangs; I didn’t see graffiti; and I didn’t see litter. I did see young ladies walking or jogging alone. I did see elderly couples strolling after dinner. And I did see other bumbling tourists helplessly trying to decipher their maps as well. Wow, I thought. The preconceived notions I had harbored about our nation’s capital were not living up to their reputations. In a short 30-block stroll, I had seen the White House, offices of the vice president and Cabinet, the Department of the Treasury, the Capitol, the Washington Monument, National Mall, the Lincoln Memorial, the FBI building, and the World War II, Korean, and Vietnam Memorials. The sun had set, I was in downtown Washington, D.C. — alone — and I could not have felt safer, or more proud to be an American. The splendor of this city was second to none. Pictures had not done it justice. What about the homeless you ask? I did see a handful of our nation’s most desperate along the way. Certainly not the dozens I had expected. When I passed their benches they simply held out an old cup and gave it a little shake. Whether I gave a few dollars or not, each one genuinely offered me their benediction, "God bless you, my son." How could someone who had nothing be so patient and understanding with those who offered him nothing when he needed it most? As I walked back to my hotel, I recalled the biblical verse Matthew 25:42: For I was hungry and you gave me not to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me not to drink. When I arrived at my exquisite suite, the maid had turned down my room and placed two mints on the bed, next to a Bible. Safe and sound. Davis is a local resident with a bachelor’s degree in politics and government and religion. Contact him at davisd.dells@gmail.com.