Sitting in silence in the upper balcony of the reception room, I had time to take in the beautiful surroundings of the room - blue patterned rug, wooden desks with what looked like inkwells, draped curtains in the front of the forward-facing main desk, two ornamental doors, roll-top desk off to one side, paintings and busts of individuals, and a glass ceiling with the eagle symbol. In front of the main desk was Byrd's casket, draped with a flag. Two large flowered wreath - one white and the other red-white-blue were behind it. The desk where he normally sat was draped with a black cloth and a vase of quite roses on top. Its chair was the only one pushed in towards the desk. Staffers, politicians, and VIPs filed through, followed near the end by family members. Next, two members of each Armed Forces branch filed in with great precision, saluting the coffin and then ceremoniously carrying the casket to a rolling trolley. After two members rolled the coffin out of the room, viewers then were asked to file out of the hall. It was quite an experience attending such a ceremony for a lifelong politician in such a grand building.
1 comment:
Such a (rare) opportunity creates a "connectedness" between citizens and government which makes Washington "real" as opposed to "abstract". {And they allowed photographs.}
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