Washington City Paper: Contents for Jan. 28

MILNER
Show up for a day in the life of truancy officer Robert Milner. Or else.

Cover Story

Show up for a day in the life of truancy officer Robert Milner. Or else.

Photographs by Darrow Montgomery

Robert Milner is the most popular guy at Charles Hart Middle School: the school's "attendance counselor"--which is a nice way of saying that he's a truancy officer. Apparently, the euphemism works: All the kids know him, and most love him. He wears the sharpest threads in school, tailored suits from Britches of Georgetowne and yellow ties knotted like blossoms with loving precision. The staff women call him "GQ"; his "young ladies" often scream and giggle when he rolls down the hall. And he's not just a walking fashion spread--if one of his "young mens" steps up to him, Milner fixes him with

a stare from his sleepy, steady, dark eyes, and the boy falls silent.

Milner's short--not much taller than some of the girls and smaller than many of the boys--but he's also broad. Not just in his shoulders but in his face, in his eyes, in his grin, which sneaks up out of the right corner of his mouth when he hears an excuse he thinks is funny. He hears lots of lame lines: "allergies" in December, school buses that got lost. One kid claimed a "secret" holiday that Milner wasn't allowed to know about.... Continued

Issue of Jan. 28 - Feb. 3, 2000

News and Features

MILNER
Show up for a day in the life of truancy officer Robert Milner. Or else.
Cover Story By Jeff Sharlet
Pose Job
Sharee Brown's plastic surgeon outed her nose to the entire world. Now she's suing him for $15 million.
The City By Stephanie Mencimer
Hot Air
D.C. swoons over its latest savior.
The City By Elissa Silverman
Promissory Notes
A costly new music museum is just the latest request from D.C.'s entertainment-industrial complex.
The City By Stephanie Mencimer
Garden Variety
The Mail By Brian Harris
Getting Fresh
The Mail By Reuben Jackson
Strawberry Fields Forever
The Mail By Terrance Heath
The Benefits of Public Transporations
The Mail By Monica Gutierrez
Chemical Brothers
The Mail By Elliott Negin
Fruitopia
The Mail By Thuy Dinh
Magnetic Fields
The Mail By Sarah Mark
Get Your Freak On
The Mail By Bill Cornett
Found Art
The Mail By Tony Porco
Shell Game
The Mail By Bayo Adedeji
Too Much on the Line
The Mail By Jonetta Rose Barras

Columns

Slurred Speech
Cheap Seats By Dave McKenna
Whatever Happened To ...
Paper Trail By David Carr
democracy, small d
City Desk By Laura Lang
Pogo's Revenge
City Desk By Elissa Silverman
Vice Investigation
City Desk By Jason Cherkis
Rats! Ice!
City Desk By Michael Schaffer
Fire Away
Loose Lips By Erik Wemple

Eats

Over a Barrel
Young & Hungry By Brett Anderson

Movies

Ain't Love Bland?
Film Review By Arion Berger
The Eyes Don't Have It
Film Review By Mark Jenkins

Music

Imported Italian Cold Cuts
Acts Locally By John Dugan
Fee Fi Fo Fum
Music Review By P. Mitchell Prothero

Theater

Silent Killer
Theater Review By Bob Mondello
Everybody Hurts
Theater Review By Trey Graham

Arts and Events

Bob Mondello
Books By Louis Jacobson
Guided by Voices
The members of Da Vinci's Notebook are living every band's dream--except they don't have a band.
Arts By Dave Nuttycombe
Metaphysical Transit Authority
Art Review By Glenn Dixon
Correspondence Course
Artifacts By Louis Jacobson
No Place to Play?
Artifacts By John Davis
Out of the Picture
Artifacts By Robin Bingham