I arrived at the Supreme Court this morning shortly after 9:00. The cases looked bland, the weather was terrible (it was cold and snowing), my time of year was supposedly great (I had been told January and February are the quietest months at the court) - I figured it was my golden opportunity to get in. So you can imagine my surprise to still have been outside in the line over two hours later. The court only hears two cases a day - one at 10:00 and one at 11:00. And only on the first three days of the week. So today was my only chance - and I had made up my mind to sit in on a case while on this trip. As it turned out I got to listen to a grand total of less than 15 minutes of argument, at the end of the second case. I'm happy to have gone but the wait was so punishing that the experience didn't stand a chance of being anything other than anticlimactic. I don't know which was more exciting - seeing the court in action, or finally getting to thaw out my frozen body. (Okay, maybe I do know.)
By the time I left the court just after noon, the sky was clearing up and the view of the Capitol from the court's side door was begging for a picture.
After my strange and freezing morning, I first warmed myself up with a cup of coffee and a bowl of hot soup - and then I decided to treat myself to a visit at this used bookstore. Peter introduced us to it last summer on a weekend day when it was quite crowded. Today I had the place to myself. I browsed at my leisure and left with a nice little collection of books. It was a warmly wonderful antidote to my frigidly disappointing morning.
The bookstore is literally crammed. (So crammed that the bookshelves are reinforced with 2x4s.) It's a great place if you love books. So while I doubt I'll return to the Supreme Court anytime soon ..... I'm pretty sure I'll be back at the Capitol Bookstore the next time the opportunity presents itself.
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