Consolation prizes

There are reports that people -- like me -- kept waiting for hours in a tunnel (and forced to miss seeing history made) are slated to receive consolation gifts. The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies will apparently give those slighted and humiliated copies of the invitation, program and a print. Well, isn't that special? OK, so I didn't have a print before.

Let me tell you what I did have before -- self-respect and some respect from colleagues and friends. After failing to deliver coverage on the inauguration, that's been shot. So, these consolation prizes really do nothing more than pour salt in a wound. It's just a reminder of what I missed. And I doubt that they'll restore the tattered remains of my dignity.

Yes, circumstances out of my control led to my broken promise. However, it's still my fault. So, please forgive me for failing to deliver.

Tunnel vision

Hopes of witnessing history inspired my yearning to be in Washington D.C. Unfortunately, I witnessed nothing but a travesty (on a small scale). The tickets secured from U.S. Rep. Don Manzullo's office were purple. They would have afforded a pretty good place to stand. I arrived at the gate at 6 a.m., figuring on standing for three hours before getting in the gate.

However, I joined thousands of people from around the country in a street tunnel. Emergency vehicles sped past us, while we waited and waited and waited. My wait lasted five hours, while others waited nearly seven hours.

After emerging from the tunnel, the entire group headed to the gate. We would discover the gate was closed, making our purple tickets useless. And there were no officials to be found. The disappointment of seeing no history being made will stay with me.
But it does not diminish the momentous occasion.