August 9, 2000
Coming home from work, I couldn't figure out why there were no parking spots. Cars everywhere. I start to look around. God: people everywhere too. With strollers. Wearing hairspray. Holding placards
Ohhhhhh. George W. Bush is coming into town.
I'd forgotten.
By the time I got home I was pissed that I couldn't find a place to park (tho why I'm complaining I don't know: I parked in the apt. complex next door) and then remembered how Texas was scheduled to execute a retarded man that night. And that Junior was going to do nothing about it.I burst onto the porch.
C'mon! I yelled to my housemates. We gotta go. We gotta protest!
I was calmer by the time we left (they were going to go anyway). I didn't protest. I remembered the protestors at the Clinton Gore rally I went to in 1992 and didn't want to be like that. BUT, Dan and John had signs. John's said "BIG OIL FOR BUSH." Dan went to seriously change minds with the thoughtful "Dick and Bush Go Home!" (He had a "Nader for Pres" as an alternative.)
It was a Whistle Stop Speech, right off the back of a decorated Amtrak. It wasn't a bad event. People were there and they were mellowly happy -- no real enthusiasm, just polite applause. Lots of kids with parents. His speech was about as white bread as you could find: it could have been given by anyone -- Republican or Democrat. He hit all the issues that make people feel good: take care of the children. Protect your livelihood. Blah blah blah.
There were some cool moments: toddler nuzzling into fathers shoulder (hold me daddy... then toddler bliss). And when the streamers were let out it was beautiful, looking up. Blue sky. Tall trees. Spanish roof of train station. And color color color. I need a camera.
Afterwards we mosied to Gus's for beers and convo. That was the fun part. Demi was there and Rebecca and Raelene and her friend Rodney, and Dan, Rosemary, Stephan, Jim. An hour or two into it, people walked by with guitars. "Play us a song!!" Rebecca yelled out. "We'll buy you a beer!"
So the traveling musicians wandered in a began playing and Rebecca began singing. The girl can belt out the blues and she busked right on the spot. There's a song there: You're the World's Best Drunken Driver.
Someone ran across the street and next thing you know we had congas and tambourines and other shake-y things. The rest of Gus's gathered around.
m.