I had a client meeting this afternoon in the Northwest Building on G Street, directly across from
the World Bank and IMF buildings. I didn't particularly want to go to the client's site to begin with, but throw a potential
terrorist threat in, and I'm really the lowest of the low on the scale that measures work enthusiasm. My nerves were just
slightly tingly, a little more so when B called once offering to drive home from work in order to drive me directly to the site,
and then again, to see if I'd caught the bus downtown yet. Joaquin Phoenix's line from The Village rang in my
ears, about how sometimes we don't truly feel fear until we feel love.
When I got off the bus at H and 18th, I found the streets to be relatively normal, somewhat thick with people, with
small crowds enjoying late lunches at Breadline and Cosi. The 1800 blocks of G Street and Pennsylvania Avenue were
equal parts police and media-- so that if we don't prevent a tragedy, at least we'll get it on film. And luckily about the most
menacing part of the day came from the knowledge that while heavy coal-colored clouds rumbled overhead, my umbrella
was safe and dry in our coat closet here at home. |
