Tour Guide Log Entry: Serendipity at the Silver Diner

There are times when the best-laid itineraries can take an unexpected turn. I had the honor of organizing and leading a military-themed tour for a group of Vietnam-era Navy veterans who served aboard the USS John Weeks (DD 701), accompanied by their wives. We had spent the morning at Arlington National Cemetery, where the group paid their respects to fallen comrades. For lunch we stopped at the Silver Diner in Ballston.

No sooner had everyone settled into their booths than a sudden stir swept through the restaurant. A film crew entered, followed closely by Secret Service agents and the Secretary of Transportation, Scott Duffy and his wife. The atmosphere shifted from casual conversation to astonished excitement.

For the veterans, this unplanned encounter felt like a reward for their service—an unexpected brush with public life. Secretary Duffy and his wife graciously greeted the group, took photos, and fielded questions, all while cameras rolled. What was meant to be a one-hour lunch stretched to nearly an hour and forty-five minutes, as the Secretary’s team filmed segments and mingled freely among our tables disrupting the wait service.

When the couple departed, representatives from the South Carolina–based production company moved swiftly through the diner, asking everyone to sign film footage release forms. There was no clear explanation of the project, leaving many of us feeling as though we’d been drafted into a documentary without notice. The veterans didn’t seem to mind, but the delay resulted in overtime charges from the bus company and an adjustment to the rest of our schedule.

Reflection: Managing the Unexpected

Tours involving elderly guests or those with mobility challenges often require flexibility, patience, and good humor. Yesterday’s surprise encounter was a lesson in all three. In this line of work, control is often an illusion—every itinerary is vulnerable to the unpredictable. Yet sometimes, those unscripted moments are the ones guests remember most. We plan for precision, but we live—and learn—in the spaces where spontaneity takes over.