A Day at the Races . . errr . . . Rally

When I got a call to volunteer at the Obama/Biden rally in Fredericksburg at the University of Mary Washington last Saturday in return for preferential seating I jumped at the chance! It meant going door-to-door for about 3 hours and then off to the rally to help with the crowds. And, talk about crowds! Newspapers report 26,000 people and I heard estimates as high as 35,000. 15,000 had been expected. Anyhow, my partner and I generally made ourselves useful, giving out material and information to the long lines of people. Obama and Biden were running late, estimated time for start of rally was moved to 6:15. Late in the afternoon we had a thunderstorm with torrential rain and no shelter being available we were all drenched - and I mean literally sopping wet. Our organizer informed us to be at the gate at a certain time to get into the rally, and I was, but no entry permitted. We were directed to another area and again, no entry. Mind you, it is raining all this time! I had become separated from my partner by this time - perhaps she will tell you the "mischief" she was up to. I could not see anything and was trapped in a sea of people. I decided I would slog back out to the car - about one mile away - knowing that she would eventually come there - and I at least could sit down in a dry area (car was locked and I didn't have key). As I was leaving the campus I noticed lots of police cars blocking the road, lights flashing, and I assumed the Obama/Biden caravan would be passing there - their destination was 1/2 block away. When I approached the sidewalk I was told I couldn't wait there. Turned out to be a Secret Service agent and he directed me to a vantage point on a corner across the street. By that time I was totally dripping but decided to hang around to see what transpired. After about 20 minutes here it came - motorcycles, state troopers, SUV's, and A BIG BROWN BUS. Can you guess I was jumping up and down and frantically waving like a damn fool and as the bus passed the passenger in front gave me a big smile and a wave! YESSIREE BOB - it was HIM! It kind of made all the work and rain worthwhile, but think I've been to my last rally.

When I made it to the car I had to wait about an hour for my partner to appear and I hope she will tell you of her adventure at the rally. I am just happy that I didn't have to go post bail.