Ok, as many of you know (anyone in the US that I know and even beyond) Gavin, Maya and I were able to meet Barack Obama and Joe Biden on August 31, 2008 in Hamilton, IN. They made a stop at a small bar/restaurant called Pier 32.
Yes, of course we knew they were coming. Most there had no idea, but it's not every day that I hang out with my children at small lake side "joints" in their cute clothes at 4P. Wednesday, prior to the big day, local agencies were contacted to make all needed arrangements, however no times, locations or plans were disclosed even to those people. The information I was given was as follows:
Informant: I might have to work over on Sunday.
Me: Why?
Informant: Someone influential is coming to town.
Me: Why?
Informant: Someone influential is coming to town.
Me: Who?
Informant: I can't say, but they are in Colorado right now.
Me (a day later): THE one or the vice one?
Informant: Both
About 2 days later I decided it would be an awesome opportunity for the kids.
What if we could actually meet him? What is he wanted to hold/kiss my adorable
What if we could actually meet him? What is he wanted to hold/kiss my adorable
baby for a photo opportunity? So, we got all dressed and ready, but had no place
really to go. All day "informant" and I texted and called, but still no word. I finally
really to go. All day "informant" and I texted and called, but still no word. I finally
decided I was going to pack up the kids and if we didn't see him we could at least
go to the Meijer in Angola for groceries. Well, we pack, we get in the car and I get
a text "Get to Hamilton ASAP." I fly there (as fast as you can with two kids in the
car, in a no passing zone behind someone's Grandma) and explore the entire city
block that makes up the great metropolis that is Hamilton. No clue where I am going,
what time I should be there, what I am looking for, etc. I decide to drive beyond the
main area of the town and along the lake. There I spot them...no, not Obama and Biden,
but instead the local media!!! Bingo! I think we are in luck. I make the four year old
ask the news reporter if we are in the right place, but "mum" is the word. We sit by
the lake, we bake in the sun, we talk to the VERY few people who are there. An older
gentleman talks to the baby and I ask him if he thinks we are in the right spot. His reply was a wink and "Yes, I think you are in the right spot." Of course, being four, Gavin has to go to the bathroom. We go inside, where I discover a 1/2 empty restaurant. I ask if we can get a seat and the girl offers up a booth of table. I opt for the table to keep the little man contained.
the lake, we bake in the sun, we talk to the VERY few people who are there. An older
gentleman talks to the baby and I ask him if he thinks we are in the right spot. His reply was a wink and "Yes, I think you are in the right spot." Of course, being four, Gavin has to go to the bathroom. We go inside, where I discover a 1/2 empty restaurant. I ask if we can get a seat and the girl offers up a booth of table. I opt for the table to keep the little man contained.
Let me stop here and share that he, Gavin, has been MAJORLY bribed to be good. He tends
to crumble at the worst moments and I had, in some of my best parenting style, turned to bribery to work towards what I wanted and needed. The deal? Smile with the nice man who you do not know. If you do that with no issues you will get a surprise. (Later this turned into
two surprises and he got a set of Transformers) No matter how nervous or scared you are, I will be right there with you, just smile, PLEASE! (I did ask the baby not to puke! She too held up
her end of the deal!)
Anyway, we sit, the waiter gives me a free coke (I hadn't even carried in my purse) and we wait. Finally, after some wrong turns, the buses arrive. Huge black buses with a caravan of other vehicles including the OH, MI and IN State Police. They get off the bus (we are inside watching through the windows) greet the growing crowd (news crew in Podunk America will attract that) and then come inside. I never saw Biden come in, however later I did hear someone yell, "Biden's in the back having a beer." (and he was). Obama stopped and talked to every person in that room. He shook hands, smiled, took pictures, hugged and kissed old ladies. When he got to us he shook my hand and said hi to Gavin. I asked if he would mind to take a picture with the kids. He said that he would and then asked if he could hold Maya. Some of it is a blur, as I fumbled with the camera, realized the flash was not on, etc. However, he told me she was a doll and asked me her name. When I told him "Maya" he said, "My sister's name is Maya. It's a good name. She turned out really well." Then he moved on to the next table. As soon as he left Gavin said "Mom, I used my best smile. Can I get my surprise now?" (YES, YES, YES!)
Great, we met him. Now what? The place is a buzz and we are pretty much trapped. The baby is tired. The four year old, who loved the initial energy is bored and we are trapped by two huge buses and a caravan of cars. So we sit, we wait, we wander to the bathroom, we try to peek in the bar area to see what the men are up to in there. An elderly lady sits with us briefly, but is soon whisked away by her family because Biden and Obama are sitting at HER table and eating HER order! (Seems she could have taken us with her since we were nice enough to share our table, but....) Eventually they break up the chat in the back and start heading out. This time Biden appears first and talks to a few people and kisses a few babies. As this is going on some Secret Service guy is gushing over Maya (doesn't he have some VERY important job to be doing?). He says to me, give me your camera and I will get a picture. Biden stops and talks to us, and does a great job of chatting it up with Gavin. He then agrees to a picture. "Cheese" and then he's done, however Mr. Agent didn't get the shot, so he brings him back to us. He says to me "I thought he got it, didn't you? (laughing)" I agreed and thanked him for taking a picture with us. His response was "Thank you for asking."
Outside they go, eventually, into the heat. We are still trapped, Gavin is still bored and now he's hungry. We go outside to watch and yet can only see a little. Got a few pictures and headed inside. We didn't even stay out there to see the buses leave.
Once they were gone I tried to get Gavin to eat there, but he wanted McD's. Who am I to argue with him? He's been patient, followed directions and he did smile!!!! Have I mentioned that Maya has not cried once during this entire thing and ate just enough to make me not be worried that she might starve?
So, I have bored all with the pictures, but let me share one last thing which drug out the excitement. I shared my pictures with our local paper (who didn't have a reporter there). The day after Labor Day I get the paper to discover my photos (with me credited) on the front page. There is also the picture of the kids with Obama on the back page! I was pretty excited to have my "work" published. Ok, so really I was used for free pictures, but I can live with that.
I have been asked if I would take them to see "The Other OLD Guy" and I think I would. Being able to meet the future president of the US is a pretty big deal, and while I think it might be obvious who I am supporting, for the sake of making sure we were on track I would go see "The Other OLD Guy" if he came near us and it was a similar (small) setting.
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