Have you ever met a presidential candidate? (A place to share your story) [View all]
When Bill Clinton was running for president, he made many campaign stops. One of his stops was in the city where I worked at the time.
His campaign stops had been well publicized - where he was going to be, his expected arrival time, and approximately how long he was going to be there.
The timing of this campaign stop was perfect for me. It was right at the end of my work day. It was also on my way to the train that would take me home. Perfect. The only down side was that it had started as a rainy day so I would have to wait outside in my business suit wearing a raincoat even though it wasn’t raining anymore. A little uncomfortable, but not too bad.
Barricades had been placed along the sidewalk for people to stand behind. Clinton would be in the street going along the barricades, greeting people who were standing on the sidewalk behind the barricades. Clinton’s security detail was stationed at various vantage points in the street, at the corners, and also several following Clinton closely.
I was able to get a spot right up against the barricade, about hundred feet or so from the starting point to my left. The chances of me meeting Clinton were pretty good.
Clinton arrived. He was in the street about a hundred feet to my left. He walked up to the people behind the barricade. He started shaking hands and signing autographs. And, he was going pretty quickly, working his way towards me.
As he got closer to me, I realized that I had a pen, but I didn't have any paper. I wasn’t going to be able to get his autograph. I couldn't leave without it.
With Clinton fast approaching, I remembered that I had my filofax/daytimer in my suit's breast pocket. It had paper in it. With Clinton about to come up to me, I pulled open my raincoat, opened my suit's lapel with my left hand to reach into my breast pocket with my right hand, and as I’m doing this, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Secret Service heads turning toward me. I realized Clinton's security detail might be misinterpreting my actions as a person taking out a gun to shoot Clinton. I took out my filofax/daytimer and held it up for all to see. Proof that it wasn’t a gun. Heads turned back, looking again at the rest of the crowd.
With Clinton in front of me, I quickly ripped out a blank page. Clinton shook my hand and signed the page that I had ripped out. He then continued on to my right, shaking hands and signing autographs for a little while longer. Then he was done, waved goodbye to everyone and took off to his next stop.
Today, I still have Bill Clinton's signature on that ripped out page.
And no one shot me. It was a good day.
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