Saving History by Lauren R. Kerby

Author:Lauren R. Kerby
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press
Published: 2020-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 4 Saviors

The U.S. Capitol after dark is a quiet place. The tourist hordes that overrun it during daylight hours have departed, taking with them their clicking cameras and chattering headsets. The red-coated Capitol tour guides have gone home for the night, and no one calls for us to keep up or move along. The security guards are even more visible for the lack of crowds. In halls where just a few hours ago we would have shouted to be heard, we whisper.

The congressman hosting our visit strides into the center of the group, beaming in welcome. We’re in for a treat, he tells us, something very few people get to do. We follow him out of the Rotunda and into National Statuary Hall, then past a sign telling us DO NOT ENTER. Several hallways later, we emerge into the ornate comfort of the Speaker’s Lobby, where we are asked to leave our cell phones and cameras. As we empty our pockets, several people gawk at the plush couches, wood paneling, and sparkling chandeliers. Others gather around the portraits of past Speakers of the House, murmuring about those they recognize. Newt Gingrich seems to be a favorite. Soon a security guard opens a door and the congressman beckons us inside, onto the floor of the House of Representatives chamber.

We slowly fan out in front of the rostrum, turning around and gazing upward. A woman near me mutters that she wishes she had a camera. The cavernous space looms over us as we gaze up at the gallery where people like us would normally sit. The change in perspective is striking. “Come in, sit down, make yourselves comfortable,” invites our congressional host. We hesitate, but only for a moment. It was a long walk up Capitol Hill from the bus drop-off, and the first thing a tourist learns in D.C. is to take every opportunity to sit down. The group surges toward the far side of the chamber—no one wants to sit on the left side of the aisle—and we sink gratefully into the wide leather seats.

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