What Washingtonians Really Think About DC
So Daphne and I were having lunch in Flake Circle this afternoon when this obviously Gay tourist, in his late 30's walked up to us and asks where he can find a "tourist trap" in the city. We told him basically anywhere in the area. He clarified his statement by saying he wanted more than just carts and trinkets, he wanted museums and buildings of historic significance. We told him to go to the Smithsonian Metro stop cause that's where most of the historical buildings and museums were.
This dialogue then morphed into an unofficial opinion pole about DC living. The man asked us outright, "Why live in DC?" Our response? "It's closer to our jobs, that's the only real reason to live in the city. As soon as we can financially and career wise afford to do so, we're leaving." He only seemed half surprised by this but questioned us further about what we thought of DC and it's natives. We basically told him that it is a rude, dirty city of apathy that is poorly laid out and most people are only concerned with themselves and what is on their immediate agenda. If you are an outside or new to the city there is little in the way of help in terms of figuring out the workings of the land. You are just expected to know where you're going and what the social rules are. In essence, baptism by fire.
He laughed and said he'd been to New York and L.A. and DC just didn't have that special quality that those two cities did. Daphne and I responded with, 'Of course it doesn't DC has no true culture or originality and basically wants to be new York but miserably fails to do so. The man laughed again and agreed.
The bulk of our conversation went like that. He probably asked two of the best people about the truth about DC. In fact nobody around us, who were all clearly listening, even attempted to speak up and defend "our nation's capital" because they all know it's true but most of them are too afraid to say so.
Before he left us the man said the following, which I feel adequately sums up the encounter: "I was talking to my husband on the phone last night and I was like, 'No, no, no we are NOT vacationing in DC. Just watch West Wing, it's so much better.'"
