It Takes All Kinds

My blog last night got me to thinking about our vacation last year. I love visiting DC. There's so much to see and do, and so much meaning to nearly everything you see. And you also find all kinds of personalities floating around. Here's a classic moment that still makes me laugh and say "huh?" all at the same time:

We had the privilege of visiting the White House while we were there one day. When you visit the White House, you cannot take anything in with you...no bags, no water, no food...nothing but a cell phone and identification. So, we had parked our van at Union Station and left everything in it until after our visit. After the tour, we came back and had lunch in the most chaotic lunch area in the world (I promise, I'll blog that someday too), then Adam and I went back to the van to get our things. We take the elevator because I had nearly died the day before on the 800 stairs that we had to climb. So we wait and wait and wait for what apparently is the world's slowest elevator ever. Finally, it makes it to our level and opens up.....and there he is - Adam's new buddy.

He was a tall black man, probably around 6'2" or so. Very lanky...not an ounce of fat on him. His skin was very leathery looking, and his hair was brownish-grayish, combed straight back and pretty greasy looking. I have a feeling he wasn't nearly as old as he looked like he was, which was at least 60. He was somewhat cross-eyed, and he wore a lanyard around his neck that said something about Jesus. Yeah, we knew the minute we saw him he was gonna be a character.

So, we get into the elevator and both politely say hello to him and he returns the sentiment. Then he kind of like...stares at Adam for a couple seconds. That was.....awkward. And then one of the most weirdly entertaining conversations I've ever heard starts up:

Lanky Man: Well, either I know you or you know me, so which do you think it is?

Adam (looking thoroughly confused as to how to answer this): Uh...I don't know you man. I don't think we've ever met before.

LM: Well, it must be 'cause you live and work here, right?

Adam: No...we're just here on vacation...we've only been here a couple of days.

LM: OK, so it came from when you got out of the military. Is that right?

Adam: No man...I'm only 19. I've never been in the military.

LM: OK, welcome to the nation's capital city then!

And with that, he was gone. Adam and I just stood and looked at each other for a second, then grinned and moved on ourselves. I mean...really, what else was there to say?!

God Bless Lanky Man, wherever he is now. I hope he caught up with his military buddy eventually!