Not So Secret Service?

It is incredible how fast word spreads on Martha's Vineyard. Of course, like everywhere else, the important thing to remember is that not all those words are true.

The library where I work is just down the road a piece from where the Obamas stay on the Vineyard. When I pulled into the parking lot last Thursday morning, the day the president was arriving, the first thing I noticed was the news trucks.

Plenty of them. Mostly white. At various intervals throughout the day some overdressed reporter would emerge and stand there in the glare of a spotlight while a camera guy filmed his or her every word.

Crowds gathered along the road, reportedly for miles (but that may be yet another exaggeration), lined up hoping to get a glimpse of the first family when they arrived for their own personal taste of island magic.

Looking out our library windows didn't yield much information, but our patrons, thank goodness, were happy to share any tidbits of intelligence they'd gleaned, whether these were actually true or not.

Obama had arrived, came one early report, and apparently the car he was riding in had guns pointing out every window.

??? Okay.

That report was soon demolished by the word that it wasn't the prez who'd arrived, but Michelle and their daughters, and they'd smiled and waved good-naturedly at the crowds along the road.

So much for the smoking guns, I thought. Although that particular report about guns pointing out car windows would surface again and again over the week, till I finally concluded it must contain some grain of truth.

Later on that first day, a patron came in smiling broadly. "I didn't even know he was coming," she confessed. "And then there he is going by in a car as I arrived. How cool is that?"

Pretty cool if you ask me.

Whether you agree with him politically or not, it's hard to shrug off the desire to obtain a genuine presidential sighting. I mean, my goodness, he's right here. Where I live. A real live president.

The reports of his whereabouts fly back and forth throughout the day. Facebook statuses, texts, calls from the kids and their friends. As to what's actually true, your guess is as good as mine.

They closed off the road while we were having dinner out the other night and I got very excited. But alas, within an hour it had reopened with no sign whatsoever of the leader of the free world.

Time is growing short, I know. His Vineyard vacation is almost over. I do promise, however, that if I actually lay eyes upon him, you'll be the first (okay, maybe the second) to know.

 

Comments

[Vincent]

Given you bring in one every four or so years, you're hardly short of them, are you. There isn't a scarcity
I live in Tipperary, a few miles from where Regan's people came from. When He turned up, between the CIA, FBI and assorted Security both US and Irish the population of the place just about doubled. I don't remember if Bush mkI turned up. But Clinton, a man always welcome, is still coming and going. Bush mkII, came as far as Shannon, where he existed in a bubble so tight that it would not surprise me if they hadn't people below his feet. There was a flaming exclusion zone fourty miles out.
People outside the USA really do not get the deferential reverence handed to the POTUS.

And for heavens sake thay have found Irish in Obama, in Co. Offaly of all places.
And that Harvard Prof' that was arrested by the Cop when breaking into his own house, are related.

[Michele]

It does get a bit insane when Presidents decide to visit. I remember when Bush II came to Seattle and snarled traffic in the middle of rush hour. That just endeared him to me that much more. NOT!

[Mama Badger]

I'm glad that someone enjoys when the President comes to town. Here in Cleveland, he manages to completely stop commuter traffic at the worst times. Not being in a target group, I have no shot at a sighting. It would be pretty cool, though.

[Jan]

MB, when he was down here in Canton, the whole damn city ground to a halt. Thank goodness I live near the Canton-Akron airport and have no need to drive downtown, except on Saturday mornings to the Farmer's Market.

[Arwen]

That's cool. Good luck on your sighting.

[Michelle Zive]

I expect if you don't "see" the President that there be some kind of James Frey sighting written up by you. I actually shook hands with Michelle (Obama). She came to San Diego to launch her Let's Move Campaign and she spoke to me (and about 200 other people). I must say she appeared gracious and she's a double handed hand shaker. And yes, while I took a photo of my hand and posted it on FB, I did end up washing my hands after a couple of hours.

[Patty]

Isn't it funny how excited we get to meet famous people? My husband happens to know the drummer of a really popular band and when my friends and I met him, we were practically swooning.

Still, seeing the president would probably trump even that. Hope you get to see him or his family! And I hope his entourage doesn't make traffic too crazy.

[Sprite's Keeper]

While he was visiting you, I was visiting his home. :-)

[Alyson (New England Living)]

Very cool! All I can say is that the Prez has very good taste in choosing New England as a place to vacation! Definitely let us know if you see him, better yet take a pic!

[LPC]

I think it's exciting. My father still had his place at Oyster-Watcha when Clinton would come to town. We joke, as good Democrats will, that Bill was just a leeeeetle too interested in my stepmother when he met her on the beach:).

[Diane]

hope you get a presidential sighting! sans guns, of course :)

[Nancy]

Can't say that I'd enjoy the disruption of daily bliss for a torrant of spectators and newpeople looking to get a glimpse.

I'd rather enjoy a leisurely drive. On any road I choose. Without roadblocks. Or guns.
:-)

[Gropius]

Alive with the buzz of presidential presence! Must be exciting around there. Bush (and I will leave my modifiers out...) was here in Sarasota on September 11, 2001. I was on the street corner when his limo made the round to go to the school where he was famously reading aloud when he received word about the terrorist attack. Just an hour earlier, our eyes had met for a brief moment. It was an odd feeling for me. That day any political differences disappeared as our country looked at facing an enemy that made such a unbelievable move toward destruction. That was my presidential moment...I won't ever forget that.

[Kimberly]

I think that is really cool too. I don't think I'd like the reporter thing though. I'd want to yell out the window, "Give the guy a break for gosh sakes! He's on vacation." But I'm sure the reporters are trying their darndest to catch him doing something stupid. :)

[Heather]

That is soo neat to be soo close to the first family. I hope you get to have a sighting. I have never been that close, the last president came here and I was stuck in the traffic jam that his arrival caused. That's as close as I got!

[SuziCate]

Hope you get your own personal view and photo to post!

[Lora]

It's amazing, isn't it? I saw Obama drive through Philly last fall. The highway patrol closed off a main through way and there were helicopters over head and motorcycle police all over the street.

The towncar carrying the president flew by so fast, but there he was and the girls were looking out and smiling and waving at the crowd. It was adorable.

Then I went to the bus stop to head home and got spit on by an anti-abortion protester for no reason at all other than she was a jerk.

[only a movie]

He was here in the spring, and the helicopter traffic was crazy in our small city. It was sort of exciting.

I saw Clinton speak at a dinner in D.C. years ago and I still remember it as sort of magical. :-)

[TheKitchenWitch]

Oooh, I'd love to meet him. His wife, too. Hell, I'd settle for meeting the dog.

[lisleman]

I went to a Presidential speech on memorial day but it was rained out in one of worst down pours I've ever been in. I saw him on the podium for about a minute.

All the security was interesting.

BTW I my guess would be helicopter out of the island.

[starrlife]

Cool is cool! I doubt he'll ever come to Brattleboro, VT but who knows! Whether you love or hate a Pres. it seems like it would be impressive to meet one.

[Erica@PinesLakeRedhead]

I remember when Clinton came to visit the two different Army posts I lived on. The Secret Service redirected one way streets so the motorcade could have a more direct route. It was such a charlie foxtrot and actually caused traffic accidents. But at the same time there was so much excitement in the air.

I hope you get your presidential glimpse!

[dreamfarmgirl]

All the contradictory stories are fascinating. Guns, or waving arms? Crazy! I bet you are ready to get back to "normal" life....though I hope you got a good siting. I'd like to see them myself! (America may not officially have royalty, but we sure compensate.) We of course used to get the Bushes (W) a lot, but it wasn't much of a big deal since he'd already been governor here for far too long (ahem) and he never won Austin in the election.

[Krista]

How really really cool! I am not even American and I would be SUPER excited to see the President!

[Gretchen]

You should try to track him down, just so you can say you saw him. I hear he's really terribly charming.

[Stacia]

I'd even settle for a presidential dog sighting! (And how cool is it that you work at the library??)

[Jessica]

I honeymooned on Martha's Vineyard and saw Hillary and Bill there. Pretty freakin cool, I'll say.

[kathryn]

Oh, yay! How exciting! The Prez in your little slice of heaven. The closest I ever got to a political candidate was when I bodily crashed into Rudy Guliani in Little Italy. (We were both coming around the corner at the same time.) He steadied me and then shook my hand. I said, "Hey!"

'Cause I'm eloquent like that.

[Casey]

I DO think it's cool but I guess you didn't lay eyes on him?

Graham and I had an entire Obama filled day, starting with him asking who "Bomama" is from the backseat of the car. I told him he's the prez and he's the boss of America and he makes rules to keep people save. So Graham got PISSED that someone would make rules (besides his parents). Ha. I spent the entire day trying to win him over and finally showed him a few speeches and pics right before bedtime and Graham agreed that he was a nice man.

[lisleman]

Hey, Earl made me stop by. Just wondering if you plan to weather the storm or get out of it's way.

I was in one in Mississippi once.

[Linda at Bar Mitzvahzilla]

Well, if anyone ever deserved a vacation, it is President Obama! Hopefully he enjoyed Martha's Vineyard!

[Jason]

Very exciting! Invite him over for dinner.

[Kate]

I would love to see him! How exciting! Just to be in the same vicinity as him is very exciting!

[Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings]

Guns out of the window? What are we in Cuba or something? I would have scoffed at that rumor too.

But seriously...how many vacations does one man need? One weekend he was in Florida...another he's in Martha's Vineyard. I think, besides Bush Jr., I've seen this president take more vacations than any other...oh wait Clinton was always golfing too :-). But then again, I could be wrong and maybe I only see the reports of when he goes on vacation and have missed the rest.

[Insurance Quotes]

You should try to track him down, just so you can say you saw him. I hear he's really terribly charming.

[Check home insurance]

That's cool. Good luck on your sighting.