Color Parade practice

   Today I anticipated to be like any average morning going to work. Usually by Wednesday or Thursday I have doubled the amount of coffee I drink in the morning, but I expected nothing out of the usual. As I got off the highway and made my way through scenic downtown Annapolis, I began to notice police cars and fire engines around entrances to the USNA gates. I proceeded to Gate 8 where I typically enter, only to be greeted by a line of traffic nearly a mile long. Not knowing what else to do, I called my mentor to try to find out what was going on (voicemail), and waiting impatiently. When I finally got to the gate at 8:20 ('m supposed to be in the office at 8:00) I was told I could not enter because of the color parade. I started asking questions, "I thought it was Wednesday? Where can I enter? Will I be able to get in at all?" He brushed me off and refused to answer me. My first rude USNA-er.

   I tried calling my mentor again, and the general office number. No luck. I certainly couldn't call the midshipman working in our office since he was part of the color parade. I felt like such a rookie... I thought the parade was Wednesday and I didn't know the protocol! I looked for spaces outside of the yard as I drove to a different gate, only to be denied again. "Where should I go?!" He must have noticed my panic. "What's your business on the yard?" he asked. "I'm an intern!" He suggested I try gate 1. I didn't bother asking where it was. I pulled over, whipped out my map, silently thanking Chuck a million times in my head for giving me all the touristy materials on my first day. When I FINALLY got on the yard I met several dead ends, nearly drove into the water several times, when my mentor finally called me back. I parked where she directed me to. Then came navigating to my building. When I thought I'd found my building I realized it was not in fact my building but the library basement.  This is how plebes must feel, I kept thinking, but thank God I won't get screamed at and told to do 100 push-ups.  As I walked outside into the bright sunlight, when my eyes finally adjusted I looked up and I was standing directly across from where nearly 1,000 First Class midshipmen where gathered neat and orderly on the field. 

   "Ma'am, you can't be here, this is blocked off to the public," a stern looking guard said to me dressed in uniform.

   "I'm sorry, I work here. Which way is Mahan Hall?" 

   "It's right there," he pointed to a building not even 100 meters from me.  "You work here and you don't know where your building is?" he said quite rudely.

   "You must not work here or you'd be friendly," I replied.  As I walked away in my defense I added, "I'm new."

   Turns out it was just practice. I can't imagine what things will be like on Wednesday for the real deal.  To the guard's obvious disgust I did snap a picture as I walked away, just out of spite for his rudeness.