NANCY'S CHRONICLE: College Park, MD - Busted at the Capitol

So, how many of you have gotten busted at our Nation’s Capitol? No one? What a dull lot. And, actually, Gary and could count ourselves among you up to today - but today we got busted. The Security Guards found the contraband and we were in trouble. Ah - h - h, you all know that’s not true. We’re pretty straight arrows but we did have an unusual adventure.

Several days ago, I called the office of our Representative in Congress, Kristi Noem, to ask if we might be able to get some tickets to tour the Capitol. Sure, how about Thursday at 10:00? Sounds great and we were up early, on our train early and into town in time to have a second cup of coffee. Here's is Rep Noem's office. Check out that red bag that Gary is holding - it becomes important later on.

We got to the office by 9:45 and the rest of our 5-person tour was there. They tossed their water bottles and we carefully stowed our coffee cups in our backpack and Rachel our guide then led us through the labyrinth of tunnels to the basement of the Capitol. We got some special badges and headed on down another tunnel. Then - we got to the Security Point. This is the Capitol and they are thorough. They don’t just wand your bag, they take everything out - everything. And, there they were, alone on the table with everyone staring at them: our sandwiches and protein bars for lunch. Contraband. Verboten, NOT ALLOWED. NO FOOD in the Capitol. Oops. The guards stuffed it unceremoniously back into the pack and Rachel took our pack back to her office while we waited. Oh, shucks. We didn’t mean to cause any trouble. It’s just two turkey sandwiches with lettuce.

OK, that embarrassment is over and we got our tour. Long ago I remember when you could just walk into the Capitol and pretty much go where you pleased. Not today - you must be in a tour. But Rachel was good, she had a nice patter about what we were seeing and let us have time to take all the pictures we wanted. We toured the rotunda - and saw where they had covered a lot of it while they were working on it. Not only was the Capitol due for maintenance but the small earthquake they had a few years ago cracked some areas that they are not fixing. Bit white cloths covering parts of it now.

The paintings around the rotunda are awesome and these are all visible. Here you can see Columbus landing on the right and the artist continued around the dome until he got to the last thing he painted: the Wright Brothers and their plane on the left.

We saw the old Supreme Court when it was in this building and not in its own building across the street. We saw lots of statures, and we saw the old Senate and old House areas. In the Statuary Hall, where the House used to sit, are gold plaques on the floor where Presidents used to sit. Hey, here’s where Lincoln saw as a Representative, way back in a corner.

And, here’s a plaque for John Quincy Adams but there is a capitol myth about this spot - it even has a name - it’s called the Whisper Spot’. The story is that JQA always had his head down on his desk, as if he were sleeping. They all thought he was just a tired old man but he always seemed to anticipate the other party’s arguments. He always seemed to know what they were thinking. Well, Rachel demonstrated that at this very spot, he could hear what the other party was talking about on their side of the hall.

Sure enough, we all circled the JQA plaque while she talked on the other side and we could hear everything she said. WOW! Is this really true or just a myth? Hmmm, take a guess. Just a myth but a cute one and the one story every Capitol tourist remembers when she or he goes home.

JQA actually did collapse onto his desk one day while giving a speech. No one paid him any mind - just thinking he was an old man sleeping again - but, he didn’t respond when they shook him and called his name. He had actually suffered a stroke and died in the next room where they took him. The sofa he died on is still there - but it’s been re-upholstered - several times.

After our tour, we decided to stay and visit the House Gallery. What are the chances that we will hear a debate? What are the chances that we will get to see a vote? What are the chances that we will see a demonstration? What are the chances that we will see Senator Paul Ryan, Nancy Pelosi, John Boeher, Illinois Rep Tammy Duckworth and lots of other Reps while we are there? Petty slim, right? Oh, no, we were incredibly lucky. We saw all of those things. Pretty cool.

The demonstration? Well, right in front of us 3 people stood, unfurled a flag and began to shout. Oh, wow, They were noticed, told to leave and were escorted out by the Security Guard. I don’t know what happened then but I’m sure that they weren’t invited to the coffee room for a snack. We had an exciting time in the House Gallery today.

Afterwards, we retrieved our lunch from Rachel’s office and walked out to a small garden area to eat it.

Quite pleasant. Sunny day, quiet area and we met a lady who was on her way to a lecture on Lewis and Clark in the Smithsonian. We talked and she gave us some ideas of places to visit that many people don’t.

We left the quiet of the garden and entered the pandemonium of the Air and Space Museum. I wonder what it is like on the weekends if it is this packed and this loud on a Thursday? Whoo-eee. Where are my earplugs? They are working on the plane Lindbergh flew to France but they also have the work visible.