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AN AFFAIR OF THE HEART
My Love Affair With The City of Washington, DC
FALLING IN LOVE WITH WASHINGTON, DC
I have been in love with Washington, DC ever since I first stepped off the train at Union Station as a 10 year old kid from New Orleans, LA. Before leaving New Orleans, I had seen some of the beautiful monuments and buildings of Washington, DC in my school books. However, I never thought I would one day live there.
The first place I lived in Washington, DC was on W Street SE in the Anacostia Neighborhood. The house I lived in was about 3 blocks from the last home of the Civil Rights and Abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass. I had to pass by Douglass house every morning and afternoon walking to and from school respectively.
I couldn’t believe it! Frederick Douglass lived there I would think to myself everytime; I mean everytime, I looked up at his home (which sat high upon a hill over looking the city). In fact, the name Douglass gave his home is called Cedar Hill.
I arrived in Washington, DC in December of 1968. This means it was close to Christmas time. Down the hill from Douglass’ house is a local DC landmark called The Big Chair. The chair is huge (19 1/2 feet). I mean, you have to look up at it, and each year during Christmas time they would sit a huge Santa Claus figure in the chair. The first time I saw this…