They often ask if I felt anything when I fell. “Across your foot? Your shin?” My shin? “Yeah. Your ankle. Did you feel it?” Not really. Before I answer, they ask again, “What was it like?” Or, “Did you just fall?” They wonder if I’m clumsy. I don’t think so.
I fall like anyone else. I work out daily. I’ve had a few falls during predawn runs in Alexandria, Virginia. Those sneaky sidewalk elevations can trip you. I used to snow ski and studied martial arts, earning a second-degree black belt.
Clumsy? Nah.
They ask, “But what do you think it was?” I have my theories. I felt a bit tired that day. I noticed the small staircase lip near the Memorial Door of the U.S. Capitol, where my brown loafers might have caught.
I recall my shoes. Rubber soles. A slight scuff on the toes, matching my tan summer suit. Not quite an “Obama” tan, but fitting for walking around the Capitol on a July day.
Was it the shoes? My fatigue? Or my rush to “get the story”? Spotting then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his aides descending a spiral staircase, I prepared to ask a question.
Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)
The meeting with then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was unrelated to Trudeau. Though, seeing a picture of young Justin Trudeau at Olympic Stadium, a Montreal Expos fan, came to mind.
The Expos no longer play in Montreal. They moved to Washington in 2005, now known as the Nationals. This was before the tariff wars. Montreal has lacked Major League Baseball since.
What would Youppi! say? Look him up, kids.
There wasn’t anything across my shin or ankle. I stood on those steps at the U.S. Capitol because I’m a baseball fan. I discovered Justin Trudeau watched the old Montreal Expos teams: Andre Dawson, Warren Cromartie, Steve Rogers were there. While Trudeau talked state affairs, I was there to ask about baseball.
Ironic, yes, to ask a Canadian such a question. But reports suggested the Tampa Bay Rays might split their season between Florida and Montreal. If Trudeau commented, it would be international news on Fox, ESPN, TSN in Canada. Baseball returning to Montreal would be significant news.
Journalism, much like baseball, involves failure. You’re doing great if you’re successful three times out of ten. Sometimes, the question goes unasked.
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And sometimes, the question is never asked. That day on those steps, questions about the Rays and Montreal were silenced. I was caught by something unseen.
I attempted to approach Trudeau, mentioning Tampa Bay, but fell. Right there, in front of the Canadian Prime Minister, on the Capitol’s marble.
I quickly realized the fall. With a microphone in hand, I couldn’t stop it. Confident I’d hurt myself if I tried to catch it, I embraced the fall.
Years of martial arts training from Master Kim and Master Yang helped me fall without injury. I rolled onto my right shoulder toward Trudeau.
“Oh Chad! Oh Chad! Oh Chad!” shouted my photographer, Robert Fetzer. “Chad!” Trudeau paused but then departed as I leaped back up.
“But what tripped you? Were you all right?” they ask. Physically, I was fine. Mentally, a bit scattered. I’ve worked at the U.S. Capitol for decades. I suspected something, or someone, was behind it.
In the late 19th century, Rep. William Taulbee, D-Ky., often clashed with reporter Charles Kincaid. Taulbee disliked Kincaid’s writings. Despite being tall, Taulbee sometimes physically bullied Kincaid.
Taulbee was no longer in office, but Kincaid knew he’d be at the Capitol. On Feb. 28, 1890, Kincaid, armed, shot Taulbee in the eye. His blood stained the House’s “Y” staircase. Taulbee died 11 days later.
The U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Taulbee’s spirit reportedly haunts the Capitol, occasionally tripping reporters on staircases.
“What tripped you?” they ask.
Before I can answer, they suggest, “Was it a ghost?” as if solving a mystery on a game show.
I have my theories. I’ll let you decide. But I don’t want to mislead you.
Chad Pergram serves as Chief Congressional Correspondent for FOX News Channel, based in Washington, D.C. since 2007.