To Our Nation's Capital

I haven't been to D.C. in awhile -- since 2011 to be precise. I was last there to watch the Canes play Maryland -- it was new coach Al Golden't first game. We lost, which would prove a harbinger of the Golden tenure, but still had a wonderful time.

We stayed in D.C., and my Miami friends got to meet John, a friend since kindergarten. John had returned from Iraq, where, as a member of the CIA, he helped lead the capture and interrogation of Saddam Hussein. John regaled us with tales of his time there. It was one of the best steak dinners I ever had the privilege to host.

Before that, I had been in D.C. several times -- for experts on cases, and taking the Ds to learn about our nation. During one trip, when D2 was about three, we met John and his then girlfriend for dinner -- at one of those themed restaurants -- maybe Planet Hollywood. D1 sat quietly, and D2 was a terror -- we joke that she is the reason they never had kids. But the truth is, their careers got in the way.

Well, tomorrow I'm headed back. I had been out of the graduation business for awhile, but my nephew of another brother, Scott, is getting his sheepskin from Maryland -- he invited us up. Wifey was originally going to come, too, but things with my mother in law have gotten dicey lately -- 94.5 and in the hospital -- so Wifey is staying put. Instead, I'll fly up -- meeting Barry and Donna at the Grand Hyatt, where Josh, who is better than any travel agent, scored us great rooms at record low prices.

Thursday we'll drive to College Park for Scott's J School graduation. D2 made fun of me for calling Journalism School "J School," but in fact it's what its students call it. Ha. Score one for still hip dad...

Friday I'm going to skip the general graduation of the huge state school -- held in the football stadium. I'll reconvene with the graduate's family at a steakhouse Barry has chosen -- for the celebratory dinner.

I hosted our family for my nephew Henry's graduation at SF State in a steakhouse, too -- Morton's, I believe. Henry and his wife Val later became vegans...

And while the crew is at College Park, I hope to see my old friend John again. He's in town, and we have plans to meet. The book he wrote about his adventures in Iraq sold really well, and an award winning filmmaker is making a movie about it. I told John I hope they get someone like Brad Pitt to play him...

When we last spoke, I told John how proud I am of him -- a guy from our working class suburb on LI involved in the highest level of international intrigue. He said he was proud of me -- the family I have, with my accomplished daughters, and the fact I built a successful law practice which provided for many... Eh. I still wonder what it would be like to be an American James Bond for awhile...maybe John has some new and cooler tales to share.

I'm due back Saturday, and after a short Memorial Day week, we'll be seeing Edna and Marc -- in town for their wedding anniversary. They're staying at the Key Biscayne Ritz, and we'll meet at the Rusty Pelican -- the place with the best view of the city.  We're due back there in November -- D2's dear friend Catherine is getting married there, and Wifey and I got a save the date.  We really dig Catherine, and it'll be a privilege to attend her big day.

So hola, hopefully, D.C.  This is the 4th and final of my trips of 2019 --Chicago, NYC, San Francisco, and now D.C./Maryland. 

If there's something better than watching a dear friend's kid graduate, or get married, I don't know what it is.  I am very thrilled to be celebrating the newest minted Maryland Terrapin, or, as his aunt Phyllis calls him, Maryland Twerp.  He's an awesome young man, and we will justly celebrate him this week.