Friday was the coldest day in DC. It was like 8 degrees but felt like it was minus 8 degrees with the wind. Of all days, around seven in the evening the power in my apartment went out. I called Pepco and was informed that power wouldn’t be restored until 3 in the morning the next day. All the people rushing to the city overloaded the power grids. I was pissed. I had to leave my apartment and go to a friend’s house for warmth.
Saturday I was at a club party and the power went out again. Somebody took that as a signed to hit some guy over the head with a beer bottle. The lights came back on and the poor guy lied on the floor with blood rushing out of his head. Needless to say, the party was over when the cops came and shut it down.
Sunday I slept.
Monday I got drunk.
Tuesday I woke up, still a little hung-over and contemplated to brave the 14 degree weather and go be amongst the millions. I looked up how I was to get there, I knew I needed to walk, but when I was watching the news the guy said that 99 percent of the people wouldn’t even see the president but will have to watch the big screen television placed all over the city. I figured I had a nice 32 inch television in my warm apartment, I could watch TV at home. So I decided to just stay home.
After the swearing in, I watched as the crowd quickly exited away from the Capitol. I figured the weather had gotten better so I could go get a little feeling of the excitement and hopefully get close to the parade.
First, my entire block was blocked off by like 400 police officers. I live like a thirty minute walk to the White House. I was going to have to walk nine blocks away from my apartment and like 10 blocks back towards Pennsylvania Ave. That took about an hour and half. It would’ve normally taken me like twenty minutes. The crowd was still massive. It was more like an out of control Obama flea market. I mean people were selling all kind of crap. I saw the dolls, t-shirts, toilet paper, books, children singing, DVDs, Cds, jeans, sweatshirts, furniture, it was crazy. I got close to the parade but because it took so long getting a good spot, I missed it. I only got to see all the crazy people. I walked home pissed. DC metro closed the stop I usually get off to go home. I had to walk like two hours to get home. I had to show ID to let the officers know I lived on my street. I was happy to finally be home.
I must admit, being in DC was amazing. It was also annoying. The millions of people in the streets so damn happy was heart warming. There was no sign of upheavals. It was very peaceful. I was like all those black people and no drama was phenomenal. I felt kindred toward my neighbors. I smiled at strangers which in DC I never do. It truly was a day of peace. And then I was over it. I was ready for all the people to go home. I was ready for the police to get off my street scaring away my weed dealer. I was ready to begin a new day with a new President. I think to myself, it’s amazing that the President of the United States is black. I mean, it’s mind blowing. I thought of my nieces and nephews who will grow up that a black in the highest office in the world is normal. It makes me want to be better. I hope the world will be better. I’m sure things will turn around. I would consider myself an extremely cautious and pessimistic person, but I truly have Hope in this country right now.
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