So, as I left off in the last post, we arrived just in time (11:58 with a start time of 12:00). We came out of the subway tunnel, and there were people coming from all different directions heading towards the Capitol steps. On our way, we stopped and had someone take a picture of us in front of the building, just to prove we were there.
After that, my dad wanted to get a picture of the crowd as a whole just to show the amount of people that showed up. He got multiple shots from different angles, but I really liked the ones he took with the Capitol in the background (see below).
The actual rally started a little after 12:00 noon, and it started with the entire crowd singing the National Anthem and saying the Pledge of Allegiance. I must say that was EXTREMELY awesome to be able to sing and pledge right at the foot of the Capitol building. We then had multiple speakers including Michelle Bachmann (the main orchestrator), Mark Levin (talk show host), Jon Voigt (Hollywood Actor), and a large contingent of the Republican Representatives. They all were inspiring, and they filled us with both anger and hope. The anger was for the way the Democrats (including the Speaker and the President) were trying to shove this legislation through the House without taking into account the fact that the majority of Americans (as polls showed at the time) didn't want this legislation. The hope was for the chance that the bill might not pass because it was going to be close for sure.
The last thing that was done at the rally was the presentation of two copies of the bill. It was so big that they had it bound in ropes just to keep it together (2000 pages is a lot of paper). They started throwing it out in huge chunks. They wanted us to each get at least a piece of the bill, and then (the coolest part) we were supposed to go across the road to our Representative's office and ask him/her about the bill. We were supposed to determine how he/she was planning to vote, and we were asked to obtain any knowledge they had about the bill.
We went across the street and after standing in line for 10 minutes realized that my dad's Representative was in the next building (not the one we were waiting in front of). So, we moved on down the trail to the next building and stood in line for almost two hours!! When we finally got into the building and through the metal detectors, we hunted down my dad's Representative's office. When we walked in my dad, being none too shy, asked to see Mr. Robert Aderholt. In keeping with the hilarity of our trip, we found out that Mr. Aderholt was actually in Cullman, AL that day (only 15 minutes from where my dad lives!!). That was an obvious dissappointment. So, we talked with his aides for a few minutes and determined that Mr. Aderholt was planning to vote "no" on the bill. Just to satisfy himself at least a little, my dad took a picture of Mr. Aderholt's empty office.
My dad, being the great orator of that day, asked the aide if there was some way we could get to Parker Griffith's office (my Rep) without having to wait in the two hour line again because it was starting to get dark. With very little hesitation, the aide told his other mates that he would be back in a few minutes. With that, we set of towards the underground tunnels that connect the buildings. That was really cool!! Also, we were able to arrive at Parker Griffith's office within five minutes only to find that he was NOT there either!!! AGH!! I checked with his aides and determined that he was also planning to vote "no"--which was a huge deal since he is a Democrat. After signing the log and speaking a little to the aides, we headed out the building to board the subway again.
Now, it should seem that this would be the end of the crazy part of the trip; however, we DID have to make the long trek back to our vehicle and ultimately back to Alabama. We got on the subway without any hitch, which was a big deal because we didn't have our helpers anymore. We were simply going it alone. We got off the final stop just like we were supposed to, and set off to get to the truck. After a slight detour (which included us going the wrong way off the subway and thinking we were lost before coming to our senses and realizing our error), we were on our way to the truck--1 mile away from the subway. We were both talking about how we were excited to get to the truck and get on the road. Most of all, we were pumped about eating supper because we hadn't ate since 9:00 that morning and it was 4:50 p.m. when we were walking to the truck. Here's where it gets crazy again:
We got back to parking lot where we left our truck and my dad said that he didn't see the truck. In my mind, I had multiple thoughts including: 1) He's joking--not funny, 2) It is possible that we were in the wrong lot--no it looked too familiar to be wrong, and finally 3) I don't see the truck either!!!!!
We went into the bank and found out that our truck had been towed. As it turns out, the bank we parked at has a man that sits in his vehicle during bank hours and calls a tow truck if anyone parks in the lot and doesn't go into the bank. When they tell us this story, I'm immediately praying for patience for my dad. We're in a town a LONG way from home and if he gets arrested for causing a scene, how can I get him out of jail--we don't have truck!! With much patience, he calls the tow company who gives him the number to another tow company who then gives him the number back to the original tow company. Yes, they have the truck, and they are about 2 miles away. Since it's getting dark, we then have to take another big-boy step to call a cab. I don't think either of us had ever been in a cab, so here we go again with another first. While we're waiting for the cab, the bank ushers us out the door because they are closing. So, my dad and I have to stand out in the cold for 10 minutes and wait on the cab to show up. If you've ever seen the movie Dutch, all I can picture is Dutch and Doyle looking pitiful--that's what we probably looked like.
After the cab arrived, we boarded and rode 2 miles which cost $10--rip off. We went in and were met with one final surprise----we had to pay the after hours fee because it was 10 minutes after 5:00 p.m. That's an extra $25!!
Anyway, after that things were pretty smooth all the way back. In the end, we were happy that we went, but when the healthcare bill passed the House, we were devastated. All that hard work, money, and effort felt like a waste. However, I'll always remember the fun, crazy, and unforgettable time my dad and I went to the big city (a.k.a. Washington, DC)!
