By Leigh Giza
Why is it that so many of us who are lucky enough to live within a mere thirty-minute drive of Washington, D.C. --the capital not only of the United States but of the entire free world --have to have our arms twisted to go there? In my book, this is one of the great unsolved mysteries of the universe, right up there with the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa and the secret ingredient that makes Krispy Kreme donuts incredibly addictive. I live in Gainesville, which is about a forty-five minute drive from D.C., but I only get there about twice a year. Sadly, I’m not alone in this urban aversion. Many people I’ve talked to tell me they avoid D.C. unless they’re entertaining out-of-town guests. I ask you, rhetorically: What the (expletive deleted) is wrong with us? There are so many wonderful (and free!) museums there, not to mention restaurants, plays, and lectures to enjoy. Are we afraid we’ll get lost on the Metro and never be found again? Are we worried sophisticated city dwellers will look down on us for wearing outfits we bought at JC Penney instead of Urban Outfitters? (Hey, if Penney’s is good enough for Ellen DeGeneres, it’s good enough for everyone!)
Just the other day, a friend of mine who lives in Fairfax told me she went to some art museums in D.C. over the weekend, and it was as if she had told me she had sold nuclear weapons to Iran. I couldn’t believe it! She had broken the silent pact we middle –aged suburbanites have with each other: NEVER go to D.C. unless you’re a tourist or a schoolteacher taking students on a field trip. I wasn’t sure I could continue to be friends with her after she dropped that bombshell. It was shortly after that conversation I realized, begrudgingly, that maybe there’s something wrong with me, not her. I really don’t want to live my life wondering if The White House is actually white or if the green beer served at Irish pubs on Capitol Hill on St. Patrick’s Day is, in fact, green. Silent pacts be damned – I’m going to Washington! I only wish I’d come to this conclusion a little sooner. Gorgeous George Clooney was in D.C. last weekend, and had I been there too, maybe I could have seen him as he dashed from Capitol Hill to the Sudanese embassy. Now that’s what I call sight seeing!
Leigh Giza is a poet, frequent blogger and library assistant. She lives in Gainesville with her husband, infrequently visits D.C.
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