Jay Franklin’s article “Main Street-on-Potomac” presents Washington D.C. as a unique place where people come together mostly to engage in the political arena. He points out that the federal government drives the Washington D.C. economy by hiring the most workers in the local industry. I see this as a unique opportunity that the government has in helping spur economic growth and ensuring that people are able to provide for a quality of living. Considering that in bigger cities like New York or Chicago, the price of renting an apartment or purchasing a house is very costly, D.C. gives people a chance to find adequate housing and friendship just miles away from where one works. Working in the Capitol has allowed me to learn this first-hand, as many of my colleagues live near one another and attend social functions together. On the first day I started, I was welcomed in with open arms and treated as if I had been a member of the team for many years. I suppose that Franklin is correct when he argues that my situation is probably due to the coming and going nature of Washington’s society. Just walking around the Capitol building, I hear chatter from Congressional staff who are always looking for the next big thing and chance to move up in rank. This idea seems normal if you believe in the American Dream, whereby you can achieve success by working your way up to the top with hard work and effort. Just seeing the number of staff members in my office who interned at one point in their careers (five out nine), I can see how the Dream may still be in effect. Being able to work with others who understand your job and what it takes to get things done has been a huge help to me because I have been able to ask for assistance without being looked down upon or being seen as incompetent. The friendliness of people in Washington has given me a new perspective on how to treat others. Having spent time in Chicago, there is no comparison in terms of the helpfulness of local citizens and police officers. The impermanence of Washington friendships may have its drawbacks in that they might not always last, but it is great being able to enjoy the ride as they do.
Bobby Baker’s recount of his days as a Senate Page in his book Wheeling and Dealing, brings back great memories from when I served in the same position for Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona (R), just three years ago. One of the main responsibilities, as he points out, is having knowledge of what each Republican Senator prefers in terms of type of beverage, podium size, type of stand, and instances in which is proper to interrupt with a phone call message. Luckily for me, I was able to pick up quick on these things and I was perpetually asked to serve as a leader of my fellow pages. One of more memorable experiences that I had was when we were tested on these preferences and the faces of each of our Senators. I spent numerous hours after work recalling my on the job training and it enabled me to achieve the only perfect score out of all 50 other pages, who were then forced to retake the test until they too could achieve perfection. Like Baker, I felt a great sense of accomplishment in being able to become a master at my job and I enjoyed the recognition that accompanied my job performance. Although, I did not get invited to the White House like Baker, I was able to talk with a few Senators in their offices and get personalized greetings on photographs that I took with them. In particular, even though I was serving as a Republican Page, Senator Herb Kohl of Wisconsin (D) allowed me to come to his office for a quick meet and greet. Even with all of the powerful Senators in office, he was the one I was most interested in meeting due to his ownership of the Milwaukee Bucks, a professional basketball team. After talking with him, he gave me his Milwaukee Bucks pen from his desk and said that he was glad to have me working for the Senate. Being able to stand in his office and talk for a couple of minutes on the state of the team made me all the more appreciative of my experience. Despite being called upon to perform more than my colleagues, I treasured the fact that I was serving my position righteously and honorably, similar to Baker. Baker’s assessment of his job seems to be a timeless depiction of life as a Senate Page.
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