Scenes From My Life

“Quiet!” The security guard's booming voice echoed over the Virginia hillside. " Read the sign." Was he talking to us? My friend and I exchanged incredulous glances as we surveyed the crowded alcove. The guard’s attention was still fixed on us from afar. Neither of us had said a word. We had merely giggled. Yet, here we were, being singled out as troublemakers . . . in the middle of Arlington National Cemetery. In my many trips to Washington, D.C., I had never visited Arlington Cemetery, the burial space reserved for veterans, Presidents, and American heroes. I had been determined to make the time to finally visit it on this trip. On a sunny but chilly Sunday afternoon, my friend and I made our way to the Cemetery. Entering the burial ground, we wandered along a tree-covered pathway leading up an increasingly steep hill. At one point, we took a detour off of the path, to an open-air alcove that was the final resting place of ...

It did not begin as a great trip. I arrived to find that my luggage was not on the plane. Much of my first night was spent on the phone with the airline, trying to track down my errant suitcase. This put me in a foul mood for the first day of my visit. By the second day, though, my luggage had been found and I was in a far better mood. Excitedly, I set out to begin my vacation. What ensued was what I consider to be one of the best trips I have ever taken. My visit to Washington, D.C. had its share of issues and unexpected events. There were changes in plan that did not come about until nearly the last minute. The weather, too, proved unpredictable, with the threat of a snowstorm constantly looming. It was certainly not what one might consider the perfect trip. But, for me, it was truly memorable. In the months since my trip, I have determined that it was not one, but several factors that made the trip so memorable. Having been to Washington many...

Driving through a city in a car or tour bus, there is only so much one can see. Most of the city goes by in a blur. Stops are made on a preset schedule. For a true tour of any city, the best way to see it is by walking. When walking, one can see a city at their own pace. As many or as few stops as desired can be made. In my travels, walking has provided some of my most memorable experiences. One of my more memorable walks happened late at night. It was not so much the walk itself that was memorable, but the circumstances surrounding it. It was January 1, 2000. A group of friends and I had spent much of the evening on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., welcoming in the new millennium with countless other people. After 1a.m., the crowd began to disperse and we were faced with a decision. Earlier that evening, a friend had dropped us off near the Mall before continuing onto her own New Year’s celebration. Did we join the throngs of people waiting for ...

More than twenty four hours had passed since I had arrived in Washington, D.C. My luggage was still nowhere to be found. Despite the promises of the airline’s agents, my missing suitcase had not yet been delivered. With no other alternative, I had spent the day touring Washington in the clothes that I had worn a day earlier. Clothes that I was still wearing. A full day had passed. My friend and I had returned to her house from dinner to find that my belongings remained missing. I promptly began calling the airline, trying to track down my baggage. The agent assured me that my luggage had been located and dropped off at my friend’s home by a delivery service the previous evening. I assured her that it had not been delivered. After more than fifteen minutes of her continued assurances, I was transferred to the delivery service. As with the airline, the delivery service assured me that my luggage had been dropped off, going so far as to give me a specific time at which i...