On the Hill | Sue in the City
That's New Jersey. Okay, built a scale kod Island, and they have now—get this—this is what kills me—they have 8.8 million people in New Jersey on purpose. So guess what city I'm in now? Washington, D.C., our nation's capital. It is the seat of power for the United States of America. Our country may be young, but what a history we have! So join me, and as the Beast checks out the beauty.
So here I am, you know, Sue Aens, Life Below Zero, from Kavic River Camp, way up North—the nation's capital, the absolute seat of power, the state capital building. This whole area here, Senators, congressmen, laws, bantered about, changed, exchanged, things voted in. I'm hoping today to meet with some of my own Alaska state representatives. Very impressed, very powerful, and quite a thing to see. But let's see if I can get to talking about it with them.
"Hello, Senator Murkowski, how are you doing? Congressman Young, it is absolutely wonderful to meet you. Tell me, what are you doing down here?"
"See, I can identify the Alaskan 'cause you're wearing your nice Carhartt. You represent—especially with this outfit—Carhartt. It is Carhartt, it is! You know you got the Levis on. I'm pretty sure about the—this is my WAFF Stompers. I found a 122 lb gold nugget on the Yukon River."
"But you don't know what it was? It was my wife! Look how that's pretty cute! Oak and sink—we're not that far apart, because I get here and it's like, okay, I have got to get back home. I've got to breathe the air that's real. I got to talk to people that are real. Show me where you are from."
"My window—I can see these ranges, Saddler, Roach, it's and whatnot, so I'm right about, and I'm down—come on, straight down now over this way. People assume I don't like people because I live alone. I'm like, no, living—that's how I live. I'm gregarious! I love people! I got to know that there's an exit strategy."
"Tell me, I'm going to be here, and then out on the 16th. I can handle anything between that, and then I got to go touch the soil. Even when I was five, four, five years old, when people asked me in the mid-60s, 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' I always said, 'Lighthouse Keeper.' I've always been an extremist, and happy about it."
"You're really very lucky to have that and to be in the spaces that you are. You present to me the spirit of the Alaska that I believe in, and that means a lot to me. Washington, D.C., I don't equate it with hanging out at the beach and having fun. I equate it with history, knowledge, seeing amazing things. But you know—it should be filled with politicians that are heading the game, affecting change."
"It’s remote as I am; it's not for everybody. But the job that you do and the representation you give enables me to do what I do. So thank you! I know we're both busy. Thank you so much! I appreciate it. Wonderful to meet you."
"It was really great meeting Senator Murkowski and Congressman Young and getting to talk about where we live, Alaska, and the different experiences we've had. It was kind of like getting a little taste of home in the lower 48. Getting to talk to them in person was a real treat, and I saw that no matter where we are, Alaskans never forget where they come from."
"I'm going to shake your hand, but I'm a hugger if you don't mind. So nice to meet you! Hey, I am 82 years old. If I can't get a hug, ten dry smiles—I don't mind either." [Music]