OCTOBER 5 UPDATE
COMMITMENTS
Kelly Melone - SS - Ca Cruisers - Verbal to Texas
Kayla Collins, P/1B, High Intensity Gold/Niceville High School, FL, committed to Florida State University
Jennifer Griffin, 3B, Corona Angels, committed to University of Tennessee
Courtney Martinez, Corona Angels, to Cal State Fullerton
Katherine Cross, Corona Angels, to Iowa State
Stacey Nelson, Corona Angels, to University of Florida
Jennifer Everhart, MI, VA Shamrocks, to Radford
Leslie Furness, C, Carolina Wildcats, to UNC Greensboro
THE GUNS OF THE CIA
Have you ever stared down the business end of an M-16? I did last night.
I live near the CIA headquarters in Langley, VA. The right-hand turn for Georgetown Pike is about 50 yards past the well-lighted CIA entrance. Inexplicably, returning late from a dinner in DC with a British official who had attended the meetings of the International Monetary Fund (we compared notes on our individual experiences with high-ranking Chinese banking officials), I turned into the CIA.
Bad mistake! Realizing my error, I went past the first guard house to the visitors’ screening area; rolled down my window at the speaker pole, and was immediately challenged by a voice, demanding to know what I was doing. The audio was very tinny and I replied that I did not understand the questions – and informed my unseen inquisitor that I was going to drive to the turnaround in front of the main gate.
Wrong answer! As I moved forward, very bright lights came on, suddenly it was mid-day at midnight. A patrol car zoomed in behind me with its bubble-gum machine (light bar) flashing. A young cop in battle gear stepped out of the guardhouse and pointed to an area fronted by a concrete wall. Apparently I was slow to maneuver; he raised his M-16 and pointed it at me and then toward this barrier. I got the message. It’s been a while since I had a gun pointed at me, but it always gets my attention.
This cop asked me why I had entered an area under high security alert, and did not seem impressed by my explaining that I had simply made a wrong turn, and would like to turn around. He asked me how I knew where the turn-around was, so I explained that I had been inside the CIA many times – which led to questions about what I did. He took my driver’s license and registration, noting that I do indeed live nearby, and asked if I had a reference. Sure; Porter Goss, the new CIA director. I also told him he could find me in their data base. He had lowered the gun and now went to check my bona fides.
Meanwhile, I became aware that another cop was standing on the other side of my car, hand on his holster. Somewhat sarcastically, he wanted to know where I was on 911, and did I know about the attacks. Uhoh. But, he wasn’t seeking substantive answers; he was impressing upon me the reason for the security. Again I explained my background, which compounded the problem. Now he informed me that I knew better than to try to enter the CIA – which I assured him was not my intent. That knowledge also prompted questions whether I was carrying a weapon.
This circular exchange ended when the first cop came back and told his partner that I was okay – he was who he said he was. That also prompted him to ask if I had a weapon. No.
Recovering my documents, I backed away from the Jersey fence and resumed my approach toward the main gate and the turn-around. Only then did I become aware that other heavily armed people were at the main gate – in case I went past the turn-around.
While chastising myself for a stupid error, it was gratifying to realize that at least one place in our Capitol is guarded by some serious people with bad-ass weapons.