6:25 PM |
The Golden Pineapple is a half block away from the State Capitol and The West Virginia State Museum. The B&B is on a lovely street, but this is sort of the view you get over there. The dome is very ornate, and most impressive.
I walked over to the gate with the armed guards and stuff, and asked how I could get to the museum entrance. It's over there, around the winding path. I squeezed sideways through the gate. It's a good thing jihad is just a news item to me.I really wanted to visit the museum, but as usual, I was hungry. I stopped in and asked if they had a cafe. I presumed this was a reasonable request because the museum is brand new, and those cultural things usually have a commensurately new cafe. Nothing. So, back on the street. I asked the first government worked in a nice suite where I could grab a bite. Well, there's Wendy's right over there. No, I want something in the complex. Well there is a cafeteria in the Capitol building. Go in the door over there. It's in the basement. I walked through the corridor. All the doors are faced with that marbly glass that the P.I. s from our childhood TV viewing had. And the same gold lettering, with black edges. I wanted to take a picture but thought better of it what with the gate squeezing and shoe bombing and stuff. I asked again how to get to the cafeteria, now that I knew there was a cafeteria. In the basement. The stairs looked like any office building stairs, narrow linoleum treads and institutional handrails.
Valhalla! The nicest cafeteria I've ever seen, and I'm not supposed to be there. It's not for tourists. The special: Fried Green Tomato Sandwich. I looooove fried green tomatoes. The two guys at the hot sandwich counter have that old repeating orders from one to the other. As I waited my turn, a girl ordered a chicken sandwich, and asked if she could get it with cheese. Dirty bird! Dirty bird! My cook took a Tupperware full of green tomato slices and pulled out one at a time, dipping it into ice water, then dusting it with the flour in another Tupperware. Each one was deep fried separately. It was a magic moment. The sandwich did get a bit of jazzing up, as it was the special: Dirty, dirty! Dirty, dirty! I also had a slice of lemon meringue pie with an almost shortbread crust. Ah, it's good to be a Senator.
As I was ducking around columns in my secret cafeteria quest, I saw out of the corner of my eye that Capitol tours are given. So I went up to the desk and asked for one. This is Randi, the sweetest volunteer public servant I've ever met. I told her about my trip. While I went on my tour, she assembled a whole bag of stuff for me, including three postcards and a West Virginia pin.
This is Caroline. Everybody in the Capitol knows her, and she knows everything about the Capitol. I would love to do a detailed description of the magnolia leaf motif and the 54 foot brass chain suspending the chandelier with 96 light bulbs that is now always lit, not like it used to be when it was only on for Congressional assemblies. And how heavy each column is, and all the different kinds of marble, none of which come from Kentucky. But that would be a travelogue with the E-Z sienna aged paper background you get on Shutterfly. This is the House:
And this is the Senate:
In the House, the press sit in the front so that they can see what's going on. There is a board that lights up each delegate's name in green for yes and red for no on votes. There are three viewing balconies, seating first come, first served. The Representatives have computers, and nifty stuff on their desks like goofy green alien figurines and teddy bears. The eagles on the frieze have their wings shut.
The Senators, on the other hand, didn't need computers so they spent all their money on this new carpet. They have swanky leather desk blotters with their names embossed in gold. The press sits in the back of the room listening to the backs of heads. There are three viewing balconies too, but one is by invitation only. The Governor's financiers, er guests, sit there. The eagles on the frieze have their wings spread majestically. You make your own conclusions.