The next morning, while Sousa lay in bed daydreaming about the circus, his father came into his room. They both said good morning. Then his father asked him to get dressed in his best clothes. Sousa wondered why, but he didn't ask, he just got dressed. After breakfast his father said, "We'll take a walk." And off they went toward the Marine Barracks, which the U.S. Marines' headquarters in Washington, D.C. When they arrived, they went directly to the office of the commandant, General Zeilin.