A Conversation with the President

By The Girl and Mrs Ranch

Scene:  A crowded bar (Wynkoop Brewing Co, Downtown Denver)

The Ranch family are having dinner with Aunt M, who is visiting (for work) from Washington DC

Suddenly the restaurant is full of police-looking people with ear pieces. IM says to waiter, "Um...."  Waiter says, "Don't go anywhere!  President Obama is coming in about 15 minutes!!!" (Then waiter promptly disappears, as we had already paid him).  

After a brief discussion among the adults, including the irony that Aunt M, who lives less than five miles from the White House, is going to see President Obama in Denver, we decided to stay to see the President.

While Mrs. Ranch stood on a chair with The Boy, The Girl and Aunt M made their way towards the scrum at the door to see the President.  The President comes in the door, chats with Governor Hickenlooper and then starts working the crowd.  The Girl makes her way to the front of the crowd and smiles at the President.

President Obama: "Hi, Sweetie"  Shakes The Girl's hand.  "What's your name?"

The Girl:  "The Girl"

President Obama:  "What grade are you going into?"

The Girl: "8th grade"

President Obama:  "What are you doing over the summer?"

The Girl:  "Going rafting"

President Obama:  "Where?"

The Girl:  "I don't know"

President Obama:  "You should probably take a map because I don't want you getting lost out there!"

And then, according to The Girl, people "shoved me out of the way"

Meanwhile, Mrs. Ranch and IM (or whatever we are calling him) were madly snapping photos on their phones while The Boy and Aunt M looked on and smiled.

We will now forever refer to The Girl's right hand as "The Obama hand".  We had a chat in the car about how cool it is to "meet" the current President of the United States, that is is a rare opportunity that most people never have.  And there is the chance that there will be pictures of The Girl in the Denver Post.

The President, in the center of that crowd...The Girl is in there somewhere!

 After shaking hands..

 Mr Ranch (IM?) says, "ooh, look, the back of his head!"

Going upstairs to play some pool and have a beer with the Governor.  Fun night!

There aren't any photos of the actual shake because the adults were so overly excited and star struck that we missed the moment (and it was a madhouse)

There have been some great conversations in the car and after we got home tonight about "politics", the President, The Presidency vs The President and so forth.  Right now we are watching the news to see if we can spot ourselves.