The National Archives

The National Archives (Archives II, in College Park MD) couldn't be farther from a Kakfaesque nightmare of massive bureaucracy. Considering just how immense it is, the institution is remarkably user-friendly and the staff actually seek researchers out to help them. Still. I found myself sitting in a room, a very amiable archivist and I trying to figure out whether or not a particular file would be in the National Security Council or State Department files, and I looked over and saw the four large binders that held the CATALOG for the files on the "Three Mile Island Accident." Four binders, with hundreds of pages each, just with the names of the relevant documents. And how much business does the government conduct every day? It was like a brief glimpse into the infinite abyss.

Then I got my files and sat down across from two bug-eyed, sweaty guys looking into the Kennedy assassination files. Aaahhh, back to the real world.