What the heck would you have done if you had been a solo traveler to Washington, D.C., this weekend in the middle of a snow storm that's been called both "Snowmageddon" and "Snowpocalypse?"As well as one, big, "Historic Mess?"
And suppose you'd been here on Saturday when all the museums were closed? As well as most of the restaurants?
Yet you had no one to hole up with and be entertained by in your hotel room because you were traveling alone?
And unless you had great planning and research skills, you probably wouldn't have rented a pair of snowshoes or cross country skis in advance of the storm, and have been rarin' to go out and take on the drifts.
BUT...
You still would have had the time of your life. IF you're a snow lover. Yes, you would have.
For one, you could have made your way to the massive snowball fight at Dupont Circle and either watched or joined right in. People were throwing at strangers. And playing target with same.
You could have walked around in awe, taking in the sheer beauty of nature's little snow joke.
You could have just walked up and down the streets and found yourself smiling at everyone, noticing that most everyone was greeting you and smiling back.
You HAD to communicate because shoveled paths were so narrow that people had to step aside and take turns letting one another through.
(More photos on next page)
You could have walked along side streets and jumped in to help push out stuck cars, which strangers were doing for (nuts-for-attempting-it-without-four-wheel-drive) drivers all day long.
You could have been lucky enough to have happened upon a snow hill and watched kids, old and young, sliding down on sleds, tubes, plastic sheets and high chair trays.
And maybe someone would have lent you one for a ride. Because that's what people do in these once-in-a-blue moon, big-snow, situations.
You could have gone out and taken photos to amaze your friends back home. No camera other than your phone? You could have purchased a throwaway at a drug store. Amazingly, the CVS near my house was open for the duration. As was my supermarket. (Did these workers sleep in the aisles overnight?)
If you'd been anywhere near downtown, or near an underground Metro station when the snow started, you could have made it to a movie theater and seen a great flick. As did the solo woman in the theater where I was with my significant other. (He seems to like snow as much as I do, thankfully.)
Sure, I had a companion for the movies, but this single woman had no problem striking up a conversation with us. Nor did two women behind us. Because we were the few, the proud, the brave, who ventured out because BIG SNOW IS SO GREAT.
I would have been okay being the solo movie viewer, even though I admit I prefer having a companion at the movies.
After the showing, the S.O. and I got to trek back the two miles we'd walked from my place, in the lovely swirling flakes. A rare treat in Washington, D.C.
Loved it. So would you have, I'm thinking. Especially as a visitor. What memories!
Photos: Ellen Perlman
1 a. and b. Row of parked cars on Rodman Street in Northwest Washington
2. Sidewalk near Intelsat, on Connecticut Avenue
3. Bridge, Rock Creek Park, near Peirce Mill
4. Friends lying in the snow
5. Rock Creek parking lot, off Tilden Street
6. Bench in front of condo building on Van Ness Street
7. Rock Creek, facing north from bridge seen above
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