So Monday, I went to work and expected a ho-hum day, when little did I know, I was in for a virtual red-carpet event! The Metropolitan AME church is right across the street from the NEA building, and Monday was the day they held the Rosa Parks memorial. I knew about it beforehand, but I didn't think it was going to be a big deal. So I went about my morning as usual and then at about 11:30 am I went down to get a snack. Well, I decided to see what was going on with the memorial. I walked outside and saw the hearse right outside the M street exits. So I stepped out the sidewalk and just fell into the crowd. I then spent literally 2 1/2 hours outside watching the DC elite file into the church. Let's take a gander through the memorial's attendees, shall we:
1) Mayor Anthony Williams: Looking dignified as ever, but not engaging the rabble. No posing for photos for Tony.
2) Former Mayor Marion Barry: Looking slightly high and of course hobnobbing with the rabble. Posing for pictures and shaking hands. Shameless.
3) Bill Frist: The crowd made an audible "oh, that sucks" sound when he got out of the car, obviously referring to his legal troubles. He then proceeded to trip up the church steps.
4) Many leaders in the African-American community. I regret that other than the Mayor, I don't know who they were. White girl's guilt, I guess.
5) Senate minority leader Harry(?) Reid: just kinda hurried in with no "campaigning" style hand-shaking.
At this point I have to interject this list and explain that there was a man standing in front of me on the sidewalk who claimed to have worked for Teddy Kennedy a while back, as an urban affairs specialist. I think he had a martini lunch 'cause he was totally obnoxious, yelling at cops to have the church turn up the volume on the speakers broadcasting the service. It was embarrassing by proxy 'cause I didn't want anyone to think I was with him. What a freak!
Okay back to the list of local celebrities.
6) Donald Rumsfeld: I'm particularly excited about this because I got to boo him!! I totally started booing him and other people in the crowd followed suit. You might say, hey Sarah, that's tasteless at a funeral. Well I say not only would Rosa Parks not be excited that the warmongerer came to her memorial service but the Iraq war that Rummy has been in charge of has caused over 2,000 funerals. Tit for tat is all I can say. I think the defense secretary can handle a little booing.
7) Ted Kennedy: He kinda had to squirm out of the car 'cause he's a little, um, plump. Yeah, Teddy, lay off the sauce and you might drop a few pounds. But I applauded anyways.
8) Cicely Tyson: She came in a wheelchair and she looked really frail. But I've always liked her as an actress. She was there because she's got a school for the performing arts and they did a performance. Also, I think she was friend of Rosa Parks.
9) OPRAH friggin' WINFREY!!!! She looked so good, rockin' a Chanel suit and bringing Gayle. I didn't see Stedman, but he may have been sequestered in the trunk, or in her handbag. I was freaking out as were all the women in the crowd. She did this bow with her hands pressed together in front of her, like she's the Dalai Lama or the pope or some shit. She's fabulous, but crazy. She thinks she Jesus.
So that was my Monday. I did about 2 hours worth of work in total. But pretty much everyone at the NEA was watching the attendees pile in and then pile out. Very cool, probably the coolest day I've had while in Washington. Sad but true!
That's all for me. Bye y'all!
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