You know when I said in my first blog, "Make a plan and plan to change it?" Well I got to put that into practice, again. My plane arrived in DC at 7 am, right on time. Yeah! I gathered my luggage and after doing an airport bathroom shower I headed upstairs to check my luggage into the next next leg of my flight leaving later that evening, so I would be unhindered going into the city. I read on Air France's website that you can check your luggage up to 30 hours before, so I wasn't worried. The only problem was when I arrived at the counter no one was there, just a sign saying counter closed until 1:45pm. Now, I know the National Gallery of Art has a coat check, but I don't think they would be happy about a small suitcase, and under the seat bag, a backpack and a coat. Hummm, what to do? Since 9-11 airports have eliminated luggage lockers, but I thought there had to be something, so I googled it. Turns out there are such places. The one I found was called Vertoe, was only $5.95 a bag, had insurance, good reviews and was only a 15 minute walk to the National Gallery. I would have to lug my luggage :) on a bus and train, but I would be able to see my first Leonardo. Awesome. However, I did get a little nervous when the confirmation email came back with the location as, " Cleaner of Cleaners."
So, I lugged my luggage ( I so know where that word comes from now) on the silver line express bus to the Wiehle-Reston East Metrorail Station, got on the silver train and off at the Federal Center SW metro stop and started the four minute walk to "Cleaner or Cleaners". I was so excited to be close to getting rid of this luggage that when I got off I went the opposite direction and it was ten minutes before I figured it out. So I'm booking it, pulling my two bags behind me on these wet, melted snowy sidewalks when a man at an intersection said, "Excuse me, Can you tell me where the Switzer Building is?" I look up and see a sign that say, Mary E. Switzer Fereral Building U.S. Health and Human Services. I say,"It's right behind you." Then I look at the man, with his white cane and both his eyes looking up to heaven and say, "Oh you're blind." He says,"Yes miss I am, I need the rear entrance of the Switzer building." I say, "It's right there" and point down the end of the block in the direction of the rear entrance. Dumb. So I think a minute and say, "My luggage wheels are pretty loud on these streets. Do you think you can follow me by listening to them?" He said, " Sure I can." So we took off in yet another direction away from "cleaner of the cleaner," but he was amazing, much quicker than I thought he would be for a blind man in his 80's. We said our goodbyes and I went on rolling again.
So get to my luggage storage and it is literally a dry cleaners. This old small Asian lady comes from behind a workbench where she is sewing a dress and asks if she can help me. I let her know I'm there to drop off my luggage and she asks for my email confirmation, my ID and hands me two plastic zip ties to put on my zippers. Then tells me to take a picture of my bags, and wheels them in the back with all the laundry. It was weird, but very cool. I love when solutions come together in a win, win situation. I needed a place to store luggage; she is there all day; nobody thinks to rob a place and steal luggage at a dry cleaner and she gets to make some extra money. It all worked out. So I will have to put what comes next in my next blog because this one is getting too long. Until next time. Stay #curious.
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