Hey Georgetown: Charlie Sheen? Potomac River Floods? A Snake?

 CAUTION! FLOODING BEYOND THIS POINT AND THE POLICE WON'T LET YOU GO THERE

Jiminy Glick Cricket what's happening here? Shortly after 9 o'clock Monday night the Potomac was expected to gush over its banks in Georgetown, splashing up and onto K Street. Not an unheard of event but reliably spectacular. Earlier in the day, approximately 5 pm, teams of workers surrounded the Washington Harbor complex, pumping water from the deluged garage and basement restaurants. Piles of sandbags could be seen in front of other office buildings. Lots and lots and lots of yellow "caution" tape. Also lots of local TV satellite trucks. 

WATER GETTING PUMPED FROM WASH HARBOR'S BASEMENT RESTAURANTS

Based on the numbers of Pepco trucks, private security guards and guys in rubber boots I would surmise Washington Harbor had a mess on hand. (Later reported the whole inner restaurant area fully flooded because the building owner did not get the flood gates up in time). While access was denied in certain areas it was easy to get to the riverfront at the Waterfront Park and near the Swedish Embassy and the boat house. 

 WILL ONE BOOT DO THE JOB?

You know what they say about snakes and floods? That the floods fill the streets with slithering reptiles. Well, it may be true, even in Georgetown. As I walked along the almost flooded canal path behind the Swedish Embassy I came upon an actual snake! eek! Given its size -- not much bigger than a pencil -- I was actually afraid for its safety. A woman came along and helped urge it across the concrete before some snake hater smushed it. She said this particular type of snake was harmless and lived on bugs and cockroaches. That is a useful snake and worth saving.

 NOT QUITE SNAKES ON A PLANE. HOW ABOUT SNAKE ON A GEORGETOWN SIDEWALK?

Everywhere I walked there were people taking pictures of the rushing water. It moved seriously fast. At one point a whole tree raced by. Not a trunk, not a few limbs, and not a baby tree, but a great big full grown tree, rollin' on the river. 

 GIVE THIS RIVER A SPEEDING TICKET

Back before Potomac flooding in Georgetown became a media event I lived half a block up from K Street, at the James Place apartments. A spring or fall flood would happen annually. This was a time before Washington Harbor and flood gates. The water simply jumped the banks and engulfed K Street. We'd walk down to the corner and watch. There at 30th and K was the momentary "new" bank of the Potomac. The adjacent basement parking garages got flooded.  OUTSIDE A PARKING GARAGE AT 30TH AND K STREETS

I know you are asking: what does any of this have to do with Charlie Sheen? Only that during my walkabout I noted two expensive and luxurious tour bosses, the Prevost kind used by many big name acts. I'm familiar with the in's and out's of tour busses due to my friendship with a band called Spinal Tap. I actually once rode on their bus. Forever after I've wanted to run away with the band (almost any band) on one of those seriously pimped out rides. It's possible Charlie is using high end busses for his tour. One for himself and the "goddesses" and another for staff and crew. It's so much easier than flying from city to city to city.

TWO HIGH END LUXURY PREVOST BUSSES PARKED OUTSIDE THE RITZ GEORGETOWN. KNOCK KNOCK, "CHARLIE?"

The two busses I noticed are parked on Wisconsin at the Ritz Carlton Georgetown. One is seriously black and oversized, the other is more conventional. Typically, when on tour, the "act" comes into town the night before a concert -- Charlie is performing here Tuesday night -- and, as the "talent," moves into a luxury hotel; the bus (or busses, and staff,) chill outside. Charlie, er, would be the talent. Ah, I understand that the "goddesses" also qualify as talent, possibly more than Charlie. Note: reports have him down to one goddess; life is rough in the violent torpedo of truth business. 

I have no earthly idea whether these busses do, in fact, belong to Charlie Sheen. I'm surmising based on experience. They could belong to Dave Brubeck, who's at Blues Alley. 

Bottom line: get out of the house, get down to the waterfront, have a flood dinner picnic, enjoy the spectacle, and on your way back up Wisconsin, knock on the bus door and ask for "Charlie." And then let me know.

btw, high tide again tomorrow morning.