after a bad day (at work and otherwise-- see below), i decided to go to my favorite neighborhood pub (Finn's) and take advantage of the $5 monday night burgers. once i got there, i decided to sit outside, since it is so beautiful this evening. outside there are only 4 tiny little tables, and the one on the end was being used by two middle-aged men, so i chose the table further away, but then a big group of guys came and wanted to push two tables together, so i moved over to the table right next to the men. keep in mind, these are tiny cafe tables, so i was sitting so close to them that i easily could have reached across and eaten food off of their plates.
anyway, as i eavesdropped on their conversation i began to realize that these were not just two regular guys, but a congressman and his chief of staff. i had on these big sunglasses, so i kept trying to sneak looks at the congressman so i could look him up in the congressional facebook when i got home... but no need! because in the course of the conversation, the COS let drop not only his state of residence, but also his first name! and also that he is in the house, not the senate. (although, let me be the first to tell you, he IS interested in running for senate should the opportunity arise.)
so this is the thing: obviously these sorts of encounters take place occassionally when you live on the hill. but this was not like,
oh here i am sitting next to a congressman out to dinner w/ his wife. these guys were discussing
everything: which staff members they were pleased with (or not so) and why, which committees the congressman wanted to be on and why (and what he thought of the head of the committee he is currently on), and strategies for the upcoming election year. and the congressman (who you notice is remaining nameless in this blog-- just because i am such a principled person) said the f-word twice!
(gasp!) it's shocking to me that they were talking so openly with someone sitting so close to them... i suppose i looked innocent-- even with those shady sunglasses!
but it gets even funnier, because near the end of the meal, i was eating my much-adored bailey's brown bread icecream, when the waitress came out and asked them if they'd like any dessert. they started to say no, so she suggested the icecream, at which point i added in, "i highly recommend it!" the COS looked at the way i was so lovingly eating it and jokingly said, "i can see that-- how about a spoon??" and i was like, "oh, sure!.. you guys are welcome to try it!" i think the congressman thought that was a little odd, that i was offering them my icecream; also no doubt that i referred to them as "you guys"... but i couldn't let on that i knew who they were! can you imagine if i'd been like, "would you like to sample my icecream, mr. congressman?" oh my.
then, right after that, a slightly crazy most-likely-homeless man walked by, and was trying to talk to everyone, and everyone was kinda trying to avoid him but not be rude; you know how it is. and the congressman was ignoring him cause he was back into conversation with the COS, and then the guy said specifically right to me, "how are you doing, young lady?" so i said fine, and he looked around for a second and then said really loudly, "
DAMN! you sure are lookin'
fine." at which point all conversation stopped and all the 5 guys on the other side plus the COS and congressman looked at me really awkward. but i just said thank you, and the guy walked away. and that was the end of the evening's excitement.
haha! isn't that a crazy story?
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