July 20, 1990
From A Very Knauffy Christmas #2 (TP Comics, 1990)
CAPITOL LETTERS
We left Holden Beach and began our journey to our nation’s capital. Tim came with us so the trip sped along. We stopped at a Wendy’s to eat lunch and get gas. As Dad began filling the tank with regular unleaded, gasoline started gushing out of the hose.
We approached the District of Columbia and saw the magnificent Washington Monument. Later we learned that all buildings must be shorter than the monument. We arrived at our hotel in Virginia and caught the shuttle to the Pentagon.
One of Washington’s transportation systems is the Metro System. The subway is known as the Metrorail or Metro. At the Pentagon Metro stop, we learned how to use farecards and the proper way to use an escalator. We took the Metro and went to the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden. That is where they grow sculptures (ha-ha).
At the National Archive, we saw four pages of the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and a copy of the Magna Carta.
The next morning we left our hotel and were driven to the White House. The Bush residence was very interesting. It’s a shame George and Babs live in such a small house. Afterward, we enjoyed seeing Bushman leave in his helicopter (Marine One) for Newport News, Va.
It was about time for lunch and we hadn’t had anybreakfast but we took the Tourbus to Arlington National Cemetery anyway. This was not the most boring place I’ve been to, but it came very close. The highlight of our visit was seeing the historical Arlington House, home of the late Robert E. Lee.
Eventually we ate lunch and toured the Capitol. We also went to the Air and Space Museum, the Jefferson Memorial, and the Washington Monument. Scott, Tim, and Dad went to the top while Mom and I stayed at the bottom. Later we returned to the hotel where we ate.
The next day was Sunday. We drove to the airport and took the Metro to the Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Next we went to the Museum of American History. We saw Archie Bunker’s chair, Mr. Rogers’ sweater, and Tim’s idol, Howdy Doody. We wanted to stay longer, but we had to take Tim to the airport. We said our good-byes and bid Tim farewell. Mom insisted on going to the National Gallery of Art where we ended our day seeing many famous paintings.
The next day we visited the Bureau of Engraving and Printing where we got a bag of shredded money. Later we watched the Senate in action and we saw John Glenn and Howard Metzenbaum. We returned to the Museum of American History and spent a few mintues at the Museum of Natural History. I also had my first ride on a public bus. We met an interesting woman on the bus too.
We were trying to get back to our motel and we were riding a Metrobus. The woman in front of us told us we were on the wrong bus.
"Excuse me, where are you going?"
We told her where our motel was.
"You are on the wrong bus. You have to get off the bus and get on another bus. I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU!
"HRMMPH!!"
We got off the bus, waited for a new bus, got on that bus, and went back to the motel.
The next day we left for our next destination, Philadelphia, Pa. The first thing we saw was Franklin Court, including the location of Ben Franklin’s house and his post office.
The following day included visits to Independence Hall, Congress Hall, the Liberty Bell, the U.S. Mint, the house where Betsy Ross lived, and the cemetery where Benjamin and Mrs. Franklin were buried. Rats were running around the cemetery.
On the way back to the motel, we stopped to get gas. There was a Quik-E-Mart next door so Scott and I went to look for comic books. When we went back to the gas station, the van was gone! The petroleum product engineer (gas pumper) said Mom and Dad had left. Scott and I sat down and wondered how anyone could forget their children. Mom and Dad soon returned. That would make a good plot for a movie, wouldn’t it?
Later we eventually made it to the motel where we stayed the night before. It wasn’t very clean but the room was bigger than Motel 6. They had a nice pool, too. There were a lot of foreign people playing with a ball outside. They didn’t speak English.
After watching TV, we all went to bed. I was in the bed closest to the window and door. I was trying to go to sleep when the doorknob rattled. Someone was trying to get into our room. Was it a murderer? A robber? A gang member? Suddenly the door opened and I was blinded by the bright light that streamed in. The chain on the door prevented the person from coming in. Seconds after the door opened, Dad slammed it shut and locked it. We figured Scott forgot to lock the door and the person put his key in the door, turned it, and it opened. An innocent mistake. Scott managed to sleep through the whole thing. Nevertheless, I was afraid to go to sleep the rest of the summer.
I’ll never forget that night.
I eventually fell asleep and the next morning we left Philadelphia. What a relief! Hershey’s Chocolate World was our next stop. We went on a ride showing the chocolate making process. The town of Hershey has street lights shaped like Hershey kisses.
After seeing the Chocolate World, we journeyed to Gettysburg. It was much too historic for my tastes. Seeing the Gettysburg Address was okay though. We also saw the electric map, a map with little lights on it; the cyclorama, a circular painting; and a wax museum. Even though it was boring, I knew the stuff I learned would be useful for American History.
July 27—The journey home. Our ten-day vacation would soon be over. We would get to see Mandy and the Pairan clan and our friends soon. I would get to work on my comic book. I wonder how long it will take to finish it?
