Entry #16.4 / 2nd July 2022
Turns out, I wasn’t the late one this time. About five minutes away from the White House, I received a text from Janette saying they were running a bit behind and would be there soon. I didn’t mind, though; it gave me some more breathing room to fully absorb where I was.
Settling down in a garden area near the White House, I sat on a bench and began scrolling through my phone. First, opened Instagram to post some photos, and then I switched to the internet to read the story I was currently obsessed with.
However, I couldn’t focus on it for long. Feeling restless and excited, I eventually gave up and pocketed my phone, fully immersing myself in the surroundings.
Not too far from where I sat, there was a same-sex couple sitting together on a bench. With arms wrapped around each other, they spoke causally, entirely focused on each other rather than the world around them. They paused their conversation from time to time to share kisses, which brought a smile to my face.
Usually, when I see a couple, I feel a pang of envy. It had been years since I had been in a relationship of any kind, and while I had made the most strides in my life while single, there was a part of me – like any single person from time to time – that yearned for someone. Someone to share my day with, someone to come home to, someone to tease me about how far behind I was on films and TV shows. I wanted a partner, someone with whom I could build a peaceful and content-filled life.
But, as I observed the couple in the distance and briefly contemplated Janette and Ryan, a surprising thought crossed my mind.
Thank God I’m single.
It was a sentence I’d only joke about before, usually while watching the dramatic breakdowns of relationships on TV or reality shows. You know, those moments where someone’s heart is getting broken, or they’re arguing over something trivial. But I never actually considered it seriously before – I never truly felt that way.
As I watched the couple lost in their own world of affection, I couldn’t help but wonder if I were in a relationship, would I truly be able to savour such moments?
I thought back to Daphne – she was in a very loving and strong relationship, but I could see how much she missed her partner. She hated being so far away and avoided certain experiences because her partner would join when camp ended, and she wanted to share those experiences with him. Which was fine but…
There was a beauty to doing it on your own – the first time around. So, you could truly take in the experience, understand how it’s affecting you instead of speaking about it with your partner without having that… moment.
I was pulled out of my inner musings as my phone vibrated. It was a text from Janette asking where I was, and I sent them a pin of my location.
A few minutes later, I heard my name be called and turned around to see Ryan and Janette approaching me.
I smiled as I stood up. “Alright?”
“Yeah, sorry we were keeping you.” Ryan said with a relaxed smile.
I waved him off, “don’t worry, I was just taking everything in.”
A few minutes later, we started to make our way to the White House and when it finally came into view, I grinned viciously with a small clap.
After a few Instagram photos of it in the distance, as we approached the gates to the building, I couldn’t stop the grin into a frown.
“What is it?” Janette asked, seeing my expression.
I struggled. “It’s nothing, it’s just… I thought it would be more intimidating… and bigger.”
Ryan laughed. “I think that’s true for a lot of things – it’s never what you expect.”
As we approached the White House, I began capturing footage and photos, still in disbelief that I was there. However, I was so distracted that I pretty much ignored the happenings around me.
“Rose!” Janette called to gain my attention.
I paused in my filming to glance where Janette was, which aided me in realising what I was walking through.
“Shit!” I muttered under my breath as a scrambled away.
I don’t remember fully what part of it I was walking through (either due to pure embarrassment or just because everything happened so fast) but I either was walking behind the group of speakers or in front of them as they were speaking towards a camera pointed at them.
I quickly sprinted away after shooting out an apology, Janette laughing as I returned to both her and Ryan.
“It’s times like these I really hate how oblivious I am.” I cursed again when I looked back to the group who appeared to be unaffected by my momentary interruption and saw the sign of what they were most likely talking about. “Right, now I feel like even more of a dick – they’re talking about the invasion of Ukraine!”
Sorry Grandpa.
Ryan waved it off. “It’s fine, it wasn’t that long. They’ll cut you out.”
After another ten minutes of getting photos and footage, we started to walk away from the White House and onto the next location.
Filming on the camera I had, I pointed it towards Ryan.
“Hey Ryan,” I waited for him to briefly turn towards me. “How are you liking your Washington DC day?”
“It’s amazing.” Was his answer.
“Say that with more enthusiasm.”
Ryan then turned up the volume of his voice with a big, fat grin. “It’s so amazing!” He then ratted on with sarcastic nonsense that had me in giggles and Janette quipping in here and there.
“I felt like there was an American accent coming out there.” I said as he finished, somehow managing to breathe through my giggles.
Just then, as Ryan was about to go on, we passed a bunch of people on the pathway. Most just ignored us, while one slowed his walking and turned to me directly.
“Are you filming right now?” The man asked.
I stopped filming, automatically thinking he was going to tell me to stop or to tell me off for filming. “Yes…”
“Can you get this for me.” The man said.
Huh? I thought but my brain wasn’t connected with my body in that moment and started to record.
The man then went into a big rant – a rant about some kind of legalisation in government or something political. I was so confused about all of it but kept on recording.
When he finally finished and told us to look up what he told the camera, the three of us continued our walk.
“Why the fuck did I film that?”
***