Chapter 176: Washington DC
Saturday, January 14th, Late Morning
It was a long ride last night, and they got in late. The hotel they checked into was a nice hotel, in which they book a suite of rooms. They each got their rooms with a king-size bed.
In the morning, after their morning routines, they went down to eat. They sat across the table from each other. As people walked by, they would glance over; there was a snicker and comments. The most common comment was they had to be related either stating mother and daughter or sisters.
Both women had the same dirty blonde hair and had tall, athletic frames. The age difference that one could see they were more than likely mother and daughter. For one, there were over twenty year's difference in age.
"Did you sleep well?" Angela asked.
Jess nodded and poked at her breakfast, "Yes, I did," she said.
"So, what do you want to do today?" Angela asked.
"When are we going?" Jess asked.
"We'll head back Monday," Angela said.
"So, tomorrow we're going…" Jess said and trailed off.
"We're going to the garden tomorrow," Angela said.
"Do we have to?" Jess asked.
"Yes, that's why we came," Angela said.
"Why do they call it the garden?" Jess asked.
Angela shrugged, "It's some sort of gallows' humor," she said.
"Gallows' humor?" Jess asked.
"Well, as the name suggests, its grim humor," Angela said.
"I get that, but I don't know what a gallows is," Jess said.
Angela sighed, "It's where they hang people," she said.
"Oh," Jess said, "That is dark, maybe even grimdark."
"Yeah," Angela said.
"Is that what happened to Uncle Lucas' dad, the gallows?" Jess asked.
Angela shook her head, "No," she said, "That was the needle."
"Oh," Jess said.
Angela's smartphone buzzed, and she reached down and looked at it. Reading the text message, she replied quickly and put the smartphone down.
"So, what do you want to do today?" Angela asked.
"Who was on the phone?" Jess asked.
"It was Mickey Mouse," Angela said.
"You, teasing me shows me it's important," Jess said.
"That was your Aunt Sarah, she'll meet us where ever we go," Angela said.
"Oh, I didn't know Aunt Sarah was coming," Jess said.
"She wasn't sure, but she texted she was in town," Angela said.
Jess nodded, "I'm just surprised she came," she said.
Angela nodded, "As am I," she said.
"Has she always been like this?" Jess asked.
"She's always been introverted, but no, not this bad," Angela said.
"Introverted?" Jess asked.
"Keeps to herself," Angela said.
"Okay," Jess said.
"Why are you stalling?" Angela asked.
"'Cause I don't know where I want to go," Jess said.
"In this city, there's always something to see or do," Angela said.
"We've been here so much, I've seen most of it," Jess said.
"How about the Mall?" Angela asked.
"Where on the Mall?" Jess asked.
"I was thinking the Lincoln Memorial," Angela said.
"Why there?" Jess asked.
"I think of all places it's probably the most important place in the District," Angela said.
"It is?" Jess asked.
"What do they teach you in history?" Angela asked.
"I don't know how to answer that," Jess said.
Angela nodded, "That settles it; we're going there," she said.
"Okay," Jess said.
"Finish your breakfast," Angela said as she picked up her smartphone and sent off another text.
Once they finished breakfast, they took a taxi to the Lincoln Memorial. They climbed the steps to the memorial itself, at one put Angela stopped and pointed to an inscription on the steps.
I Have a Dream
Martian Luther King, Jr.
March On Washington
For Jobs and Freedom
August 28, 1963
"That's where it took place," Angela said.
"What took place?" Jess asked.
"The mission statement, the goal we should hold dear to us, Jess," Angela said.
"What does that mean?" Jess asked.
"Remember, Willa?" Angela asked.
"Yeah," Jess said.
"Back when he made that speech in parts of this country, Willa's parents couldn't get married because," Angela said and sighed, "Well, because of something like skin color."
Jess nodded, "Really?" she asked.
Angela nodded, "Nor could Faith's marriage," she said.
"Faith?" Jess asked.
"Someone I played basketball with," Angela said, "You've met her son."
Jess nodded, "What happened to his Mom?" she asked.
Angela sighed, "She died giving birth to her second son," she said.
Jess nodded, "Oh," she said, "But you said mission statement, what is this mission statement?"
"For us to live up to our founding creed," Angela said, "Something we've done, how shall I say it, not perfect at times, to times where we were horrible? We all need to improve."
"Oh," Jess said, "Why?"
"I don't know; I get paid to shoot a basketball. All I know is we disconnect far easier than we connect, and we'd rather think like everything in general terms, than specific terms. But here, one man put us to the task, on that, and sadly I think both sides fail more than we succeed," she said.
"I thought you didn't know," Jess said.
"I don't, those are just my thoughts and feelings," Angela said. She pointed out to the Washington Monument. "There is a reason for these two monuments to be here, one honors the imperfect man who was the example at the formation of the nation. The one behind us, the imperfect man who gave his life to correct some of the faults in the founding," she said, "And this spot shows you that there are men that are brave enough to call out that we still have work to do."
"Faults?" Jess asked.
Angela shrugged, "There are people that call it our original sins," she said.
Jess was about to say something, but a woman bundled up tightly came over to them. She was of average height, so she was closer to Jess in height.
"Angela, Jessi," she said.
Angela turned to look at the woman, "Sarah?" she asked.
The woman nodded. Jess turned to look at her, "Aunt Sarah?" Jess asked.
The woman nodded, and Jess hugged her.
"It's good to see you," Angela said.
"It's time, Angela," Sarah said, "It's finally time." Sarah just nodded.
