Here in the DC area we're all atwitter about The Pope coming from Tuesday through Thursday. I am. Atwitter I mean. I'm not Catholic, never was, and I'm not even a Christian. But like a lot of other people who are neutral on the subject of religion I'm a Pope fan.
As the visiting days approach, the local twitter is mostly about traffic: How many roads will be closed and when, how many residents will be restricted to walking to and from their homes since cars can't come and go, how many businesses will be forced to close for chunks of time, that sort of thing. Federal employees, a huge (yuuugh) part of the DC workforce, are asked to telecommute if possible. Or take the days off as vacation days if possible. Meanwhile there are thousands of people coming into town today and tomorrow (and Tuesday and Wednesday) and they'll all be confused by the city, and they'll all be crowding up around Francis while he moves from place to place in the city.
So the message to those of us who live, work, and play in the DC area is STAY AWAY. And that's exactly what I'll do. I may like the Pope but not enough to try to see him.
The Monastery above is 10 blocks or so from a church where the Pope will deliver (is that the right verb?) a mass on Wednesday. Since this Monastery houses Franciscans (as in St. Francis), there is a small hope that Pope Francis will at least drive by.
I 'work' here a few hours once a week, in the office doing officey kinds of things. So I feel a little attached to the papal visit. I hope it all goes well here, in NYC, and in Philadelphia.
[See the blue mailbox? It's going to be removed before Wednesday, per the Secret Service, which has been all over the neighborhood looking for possible bomb-hiding spots. Thanks bin Laden.]
3 comments:
I am also a fan of Pope Francis without being Catholic or even particularly religious. However, I don't do well with traffic issues, so I would stay away too! Obama is coming to Seattle the day I fly back from Africa, so it could be a real mess for the person who picks me up at the airport, although he won't fly into SeaTac.
This has certainly been an interesting pope! I do not envy you the traffic and mayhem attached to the pope's visit but I imagine you are used to that sort of thing.
Hi well put. As much as I love a telecommute day, I don't know about staying at home when you live and work in Bethesda. Darr is going down to "become part of the problem." He can' help himself.
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