"Oh Abe, he's so honest." - Patrick Connor

Abe is honest. I know, because I spent some quality time with him today, along with 6.3 million tourists, a cute beagle puppy, and a jolly DC-rent-a-cop (we had a lovely banter about DC weather, part of my "Be nicer in general to all people in '08" campaign). I was with Abe, the tourists, the puppy, and the rent-a-cop this afternoon for several reasons:

a) It was the first sunny day in six (at least); the Mall had this magnetic pull
b) Parking was easy, it involved no U-turns or cash exchange or too-difficult paralleling
c) The wall out front was the perfect place with an hour of long-distance with SJ
d) I needed to unlax
e) I knew there would be less power suited people around; still some, just less
f) The Lincoln is like my ultimate grassy knoll - just sit in the proximity and I'm sure to be thinking deeply, pondering my purpose in life and people-watching like nobody's business

Now, responding to each reason:

a) Mischelle Dean warned me that this would be the biggest adjustment. I beg to differ. The freaking pantyhose are undoubtedly the biggest adjustment. The weather is notably rough, though - when you're inside for all of the daylight hours anyway and then you realize that the only glow around is tungsten-related and the skylights are even grey, wowzers. When I woke up and saw some rays through my blinds, I realized how much I've missed it.

b) This is contrary to virtually all other parking experiences anywhere in and around the DC metro area. Our three hours in a Georgetown garage this afternoon led to an $18 ticket, to which one of my car guests exclaimed, "Man, these garage people are banking. I want to quit work and open a garage!" Oh dear. Parallel parking Meriweather is no cake, either. I have ended up on a curb more than once, and have countless times just gone home rather than deal with the issue.

*Another non-parking, but notable driving experience involved aiming headlong down a one-way, going, um, the wrong way. Terrifying but true thing is that I didn't even notice for at least a block. I heard someone comment that "roads were an afterthought" in this city. When driving in general is an afterthought already, it become a bad combo.

c) I started out there because it was the least-populated spot, and it did not appear that the jolly rent-a-cop would be kicking me out for being so chatty on my phone. As the sun set, I ended up moving down the wall till I was in perfect position to be stared at by a group of about 20 suited high school boys. One wore teal pants and a bow tie and I almost befriended him too (I don't want to go overboard and jinx my niceness initiative altogether

d) Georgetown was busy, work was long, it was a great escape.

e) The power suits usually stay in the office on the weekends, or, if out, are wearing the following: extremely outdoorsy gear to prove that they're green and they have a life, too-tight pants, or if they are a former congressman, an odd shade of plain turtleneck with a flag lapel pin. This is true. Luckily, one guy (a tourist I hope, for his sake) came out dressed in his finest long, straight leather jacket.

f) It's just true.

More on the in's/out's of life in the Power Suit capital of the universe to be posted pronto.