Over the past week, I’ve been watching the slow progression of the chess bum I profiled last Friday.

Before he had the pretense of a chessboard, and seemed an engaging afternoon acquaintance if you had the time. Now he’s dropped that facade and the chessboard is nowhere to be seen. He’s also dropped his contentment with his earlier occupation of the sidewalk; he’s now upgraded and made a nest for himself – in the bus stop shelter.

Oh and before you think it was due to last night’s rain, he was there by Tuesday, I’ve only now had the chance to photograph him asleep in the mess. And a mess it is.

If you look closely, the shelter is now missing a pane of glass with shards of safety glass scattered about. He’s camped out on the bench, negating the ability to rest for those waiting for the bus. He’s also expanded his trash pile, stretching it down the sidewalk and up to the bus shelter.

Homeless no longer; he’s taken over the bus stop with his person and refuse, attempting a check-mate on the sanctity of McPherson Square.

Home Sweet Mess in McPherson Square Buss Stop

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Two years of renovations await the Smithsonian Museum of American History, as the museum will undergo serious interior reconstruction and add “artifact walls” that will display some additional collections that the Smithsonian hasn’t been able to show for lack of space. There will be a new atrium built as a centerpiece of the renovated museum featuring a large skylight and a glass staircase. Though we’ll miss the museum, a little renovation is never a bad thing, and we’ll be right there when they reopen in 2008!

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They got on the crowded train at Farragut West, he in his father’s charcoal suit and a new canary yellow “Live Free or Die” t-shirt, she in a calf-length white skirt, pink shoes and a sweater set. They stood among the rest of us who were standing on the ride home from RFK and the Nationals loss, talking about their exes. She made reference to her high school ex who just kept coming back, he mentioned his 5 or 6 college girlfriends. They stood and she leaned on the pole, her right heel just coming out of her pink mary janes.

The train headed for Foggy Bottom, and the din of the tunnel drowned out his response to her flirting. As we pulled into the station, she talked about moving to Texas, glancing at the sheen of sweat on his forehead in the hot traincar. He laughed and rolled his eyes. They moved to a bench seat as the train cleared out. As the train pulled out of the station and into the noisy tunnel, she asked “Can you ever just stop being a player?”

The shaking car and thundering wheels drowned out his reply.

He was being played, he just didn’t know yet. She slipped off her mary janes for some equally pink mules, and tossed her hair.

Or he knew. And didn’t care.

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late night gym

It is 10.45 and I am the last one out of the YMCA tonight. See, while some folks got an afternoon off to walk about, others worked till late.

Thankfully the Y’s late weekday hours are made for night owls like me who wanna sweat till 10.30pm. I only wish it was open past 6ish on the weekends.

My bird chest could use a pre-date pump-up. Could yours?

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Apparently we’ve qualified as #52 in Prevention magazine’s list of 100 Best Walking Cities. I can only assume this ranking is a result of the pure chance of when they pulled our name out of the hat they put all these names in given that they otherwise seem to bear little resemblance to reality.

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begging her to stop

There’s a new twist to bumming change in DC. Homeless are no longer content with lurking outside the CVS or overflowing McPherson Square with their demands for donations.

Now panhandlers have upgraded past pedestrians, forgoing our easy mark but quick steps for those who might have more money and definitely can’t move as fast, drivers stuck in traffic.

Penniless here wasn’t insolvent for long as she accosted driver after driver stuck in the right turn lane exiting K Street for 15th Street today. She was making a swift buck busting folks up for change who had windows down but nowhere to go.

What next? Actually following me along going “Mister, mister, give me money!” like the beggars do in Ethiopia?

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Despite the lackluster opening day, something interesting did come out of the afternoon spent at RFK yesterday. In talking with one of the ushers, it was revealed that last week, all the ushers for RFK (green polo shirts) were called in to a special meeting where they were instructed to fill out brand new applications. They’d been fired from the DC Sports & Entertainment Commission and rehired by the Nationals themselves. The new owner, whomever that may be (and apparently it’s set already) wanted to have full control of the usher staff for RFK.

This says a few things to me. It says that Selig and his cabal have settled on an owner, first of all. Secondly, that they’re down to the brass tacks in terms of negotiations if they’re talking about stadium personnel and not payroll, prices, and other large ticket items. Lastly, it means they’re getting to the stage where they’re involving people not typically into honoring non disclosure agreements. We’re close to a deal here, folks, and we could see one possibly before the homestand is over, but I’m betting it will be closer to the All-Star Break before anyone in Major League Baseball shows DC any love.

But, rejoice my friends, for the end of the reign of terror over the Nationals is nearly complete. Soon, we will only have our new owners to blame instead of a massive conspiracy by The Man to hold us down.

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brave bicycle storage

Last night, to my horror, I could not find the keys to my bicycle lock. Now this was not the end of the world as it was securely locked to a bike rack and I took the bus home but I was still nervous.

How many stripped bike frames do you see around the city, still locked to racks and signs?Luckily, this morning revealed a sight I know every cyclist can love: a safe and complete bicycle awaiting my feet.

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Compared to last year’s home opener, this year’s was a right out dud. From the introductions of the starting lineups, to the last pitch, I felt thoroughly underwhelmed by this year’s opening. The Nats got drubbed 7-1 by the Mets, on a 7 inning, 3 hit, 1 run outing by Bannister. The only Nats run came on a serious yard shot by Alfonso Soriano.

Just a few notes from my thoughts on the game:

• The booing of Dick Cheney was not unexpected. However, it went on loud and long, from when he stepped on the field, to throwing the pitch (outside, in the dirt), to back into the dugout. Am I the only one who thought about Boo-urns? No? Good. That means the Simpsons hold their rightful place atop the hegemony of American Pop Culture.
• Funny, the Post said Cheney was booed after the pitch. He wasn’t. He was booed before, during AND after the first pitch. C’mon Post, don’t whitewash it.
• They didn’t run out of hotdogs this year…they ran out of buns. We’re getting there. Maybe by the time we open the new stadium in 20XX, we’ll have full running concessions on opening day.
• The will-call issues today were really bad, with many confused people looking around at the differently named will-call booths. This gotta get fixed.
• Nice to see that Alfonso Soriano can go yard in the cavernous insides of RFK. This bodes well.
• Getting 3 hits, all in the middle of the order, is great, but the problem is that they were the only 3 hits all game.

Tomorrow, promises to be good, though, as Pedro Martinez comes to RFK to answer for his sins at Shea last week. Will Tony Armas plunk Martinez when he comes up in the 3rd? Well, we’ll just have to see. Game starts at 7:05, and tickets are still available.

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The Nats are playing their 2006 home opener today against the Mets. Tickets are still available, and I’d wholeheartedly recommend blowing off work today and going out to the ballpark. It’s a perfect spring day, and I fully recommend being outside in it. Get on down to RFK, and take one of those swank Express Trains that Metro is running today.

Pitching matchup isn’t much to look at, Bannister vs Ortiz, but with the way the Nats have been playing (and hitting!), today’s game will definitely be worth seeing. Of course, the Mets are our new gang rivals after the craziness in New York last week, and Pedro’s on the mound tomorrow, leaving me to wonder if the Nats are sharpening their spikes for the rematch.

Vice President Dick Cheney will be tossing out the first pitch, after which he will shoot the umpire with quail shot. Be prepared for a bit of a line at the park as the Secret Service will be there making sure that no one else brings a shotgun into RFK.

See you at the game!

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Since Mike commented on his belief that K street is the food anti-mecca I thought I’d mention that Galileo Grill is open today, April 11th, from 11:45 to 1PM. They’ve added two items to the grill – an onion, pancetta and cheese “Quiche” and a grilled Caeser salad with parmesan.

Why they feel it’s a “Quiche” and not a quiche I have no idea.

Galileo
1110 Twenty-First Street NW
Washington, DC 20036

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Metro nightmare

Originally uploaded by tbridge.

With the protest ebbing, and rush hour flowing, you can imagine what sort of nightmare Metro was tonight. I arrived at Metro Center along with a throng of post-protest travelers, as well as post-work-day commuters. Metro Center was a complete charlie foxtrot. There was no room for exiting commuters to get through the crowd, and half the faregates for the ingress stopped working due to “system overload” according to the Metro official that was giving directions. Either way, it took nearly 30 minutes to get from the top of the escalators at 12th and F to the Metro platform itself.

The trains were yet another matter, as they’d fill instantly at Metro Center and be unable to pick up commuters at Farragut West or Foggy Bottom or McPherson Square. Worse still, changing trains at Rosslyn was a near impossibility for those who tried to do so. I finally escaped the incredibly crowded metro car at Courthouse, and I was thankful as the commuters were none too pleased with the matter.

Say, whose bright idea was it to end the protest in the middle of Rush Hour?

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Proud to Be North Americans

Now these guys are the reason we’re here today. All of them are hardworking Americans – North Americans – who are looking to make a better life for themselves. Out representing Fredericksburg, they drove down today, skipping out on work for more than themselves.

They drove down with their families, the love ones they are working hard to raise right. And while they are legal immigrants, they didn’t start out that way. They worked heard for not only money but also legality. And they’ll be back at work tomorrow, making this country great.

They’ll be working hard, in Spanish, which for some feels threatening. Some may say “here we speak English!” or be tempted to discriminate based on accent. I laugh at this, and point at myself as a great example.

While my father swam the Rio Grande, by the time of his death, he was more comfortable in English than Spanish. And his son? I am the Gringo Cousin, more fluent in Russian than Spanish.

Welcome to America!
.

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the most thankless job today

Now this guy has the most thankless job today.

Trying to control the car and people interaction at 14th and Constitution, he is pleasing no one. Cars hate him and pedestrians ignore him. Then there is that annoying guy putting a phone camera in his face.

Thank you whomever you are for enduring all of that with a smile.

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the required drum line

No DC protest is complete without a drum line and this one is no exception.

This line is a small one though and telling of the overall organization and message.

Absent were the usual anarchist and random hangers on. This is about immigration rights and for a big protest, very on message. Other protesters could learn from these new commers.

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7th is not pretty either

Lets say you saw my earlier post on the 14th Street parking lot and thought 7th Street an option. Think again.

The Mall is a parking lot from the Monument to the Air and Space. Good luck on that commute.

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With today’s rally bringing the issue of immigration to the forefront, and 180,000 people expected as part of the march down 16th St. past the White House to the Mall, it brings the question to the forefront of the DC area: How do we treat immigrants as a community? Should there be an amnesty? Should there be a wall? What’s too far, when it comes to legalization or amnesty?

What’s your take on all this? Please tell us in the comments.

Were you there for the protest today? Tell us your thoughts or post your pictures.

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this is 14th street

If you are dreaming of a quick drive home to NOVA today I am here to shake you awake.

The march is massive and slow and it will own 14th Street for at least another hour. Do yourself a favor and come by before heading home.

We are all immigrants in America.

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and the chant is..

An overwhelming and constant USA! USA! USA!

This is not the chant of those who dislike America or want to change America. This is the chant for inclusion, for assimilation, for respect.

This is what all our forefathers said.

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I’m stranded at work and unable to partake in any of this afternoon’s march. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have a bird’s eye view of some of what’s going on…

People have been pouring out of Metro Center at 12th & G since around 2pm with no signs of abetting. American flags, families, young and old. We have a great vantage point from our office window but alas no camera to share pics with you. I did sneak out at one point for my afternoon caffeine from Firehook and at the metro exit there were several volunteers with signs pointing people in the direction of the Mall.

I’m really amazed – it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a call for protesters responded to with so much volume. Usually you hear about these things and it’s a wash – not so today, obviously. It’s interesting to hear the “office buzz” today as well – there’s a lot of superficial “knowledge” being spouted but no real concern over the issue. Which I suppose shouldn’t surprise me, but it does. Everyone here in some way is affected by the issue but they seem blind to discussing it intelligently. They’d rather fret about how they’re getting home…

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs