While most shops throughout the city have been shuttered, and the streets were relatively deserted, the strip of stands selling shwarma and fruit shakes outside Al Shifa has done a brisk business.
"I've been a distinguished teacher for years; I've bought kids clothes," said Donna Tollinchi, an eighth-grade math teacher, still shaken outside the meeting, at a performing arts center downtown, where she confronted Mr. Del Grosso.
She took her letter and padded down the hall, stood shaking outside slug-man's door, paused, turned back, and then returned in a rush, running back up the corridor.
I was waiting, still shaken, outside the club for a cab to take me back to my hotel.
To begin, McQuaide took much of the house down to the studs, installed plywood to the walls to conform with new codes for earthquake safety, and added new drywall inside and shakes outside.
Do the shaking outside as water may leak out of the bag.
"Okay," I said, reaching down to pick up a client's entryway rug so I could shake it outside.
As we shake hands outside a north London cafe, a bright-red drop beads on his upper lip, trembles for a moment, then spills.
O.K., it must be said: There have not been months of Republican town hall meetings held in the District of Columbia to give regular voters a chance to pepper the candidates with questions, or campaign stops to give candidates the chance to shake hands outside local landmarks like Ben's Chili Bowl.
