“The hunt for El Chapo"

Tuesday 14/7    

Union Station

Alexander Niebler

“The hunt for El Chapo" 

Washington DC, 14/7/2008

Taxis came and went, buses arrived and departed, trains filled up and emptied. I sat in the Main Hall of the Union Station, mixing with all kinds of people: blacks and whites, Asian, American and European. People I have never seen before. Some are old, some are young, some are women, some are men. They went  into the shops, they ate and drank, they smoked their cigarette outside the hall and waited for their busses, trains and taxis. They didn't  know each other and would never see each other again. They all had different destinations, came from different places, had different cultures and spoke different languages. They only interacted with people known to them such as family, friends and colleagues. They were all different, in mind and body, but still united. Seen from above they were all doing the same. Hurrying from one place to another until they finally found their train, bus or taxi to take them to wherever they wanted to go. I sat there and watched them doing what they do, saying what they said, seeing what they saw but I knew that I was not one of them. I had been but this was long ago and too much has happened in between. The past could not be rewritten, I knew that. But the future could be.

I decided to stand up and walk to the big black doors. Passing the strangers without taking notice of them was not easy as I could not just shut down my sense for defense. On my right there was a information counter for Big Bus Trips whereas on my left a Shake Shack gave the possibility to eat a burger. Much had changed since the last time I was here. But still I had no interest in fast food. I continued my walk by taking a closer look at the architecture. The Station was divided into the Main Hall with a curved ceiling and painted walls and the smaller entrance halls which housed the metro station and souvenir shops. Next to the hall the train station was located. By adding ancient statues and patterns the architect wanted to imitate Roman buildings. He could not actually meet them but from the first impression he had done a great job. I continue my walk by passing a group of guards from the Homeland Security and some Japanese exchange students with their American partners. Innocent civilians, definitely no danger. I stepped out into the heat of Washington in summer. Before turing left to the line of waiting cabs, I turned right to see the Sightseeing busses. I remembered the times when I had been one of them, a tourist on the way of exploring a new city and a different form of life. This was before the solace ‘War on drugs’  had begun which caused thousands to die. So I immediately turned round again to see which cab I had to take. My destination was the Hay Adams Hotel, around ten minutes away from Union Station. I chose a yellow taxi which was the first one in the row to take me to the hotel. As my cab crossed Columbus Square I turned round on my seat to have a last look at this massive old train station. I would never come back here again.