Obama in October

All

photos

are from

rally

in KC


It's October! The mad season, the season of Simone. The gift that keeps on giving. It started off with a Rocky Mountain High in Colorado, thanks to my sister Michele. Elk and aspens and ALTITUDE. Followed by a groovy par-tay at my sister Laura's wedding, where I busted a move on the dance floor with my 84 year old mother and all my sibs. Say what? Freaky stuff!! And now comes the kicker. An Obama rally right here in KC. This Obama mama was happy!

Under an autumn sun and a brilliant blue sky, Lilah and I waited for two hours to hear Obama speak. We got through the gate around 4:00, with thousands coming behind us. People in the crowd were smiling, laughing, staring off into space, checking their cell phones, looking straight ahead, looking back at the dark-clad figures (armed guards?) perched on top of the Liberty Memorial Museum roof. A black helicopter circled overhead. A bus pulled up to the speakers' tent, raising excitement. Now and then a chant went up from the crowd, "O-bam-a!! O-bam-a!"

When Obama arrived, the crowd began cheering. Everyone started pushing forward. I jumped up and down, trying to catapault myself over people's big heads. Lilah and I had each brought a book to read, so I used them as a footstool, and balanced on my tip-toes. And there he was -- Obama for real. White shirt, skinny arms, ears sticking out... I couldn't get over how close we'd gotten. I lifted Lilah up, again and again, shouting, "Can you see him?" She nodded and grinned. He was shouting and pointing. Making his points. The crowd responded: "Yes We can!!

It was a beautiful evening, said Obama. And oh my land, Yes It Was! A lovely mellow light enveloped his emphatic stump on taxes. The middle class. Healthcare. Ending the war in Iraq responsibly. "HEL-lo!!" a woman near me shouted. "I like having my husband around!!"

When it was over we watched his caravan leave. A couple of sleek, black cars with flashing lights on the back, followed by a couple of SUVs, and still more sleek cars. Lilah thought she spotted Obama in one of them.

We headed downhill towards Crown Center, where I'd parked the car. There were roadblocks and throngs of people moving in every direction. One park official estimated 75,000. I'd always wondered what it would be like to be in a crowd that size. Turns out you're largely oblivious. You're only aware of the people right around you. The same way we're oblivious to the rest of the globe.

Crown Center was over-run by Obama folks that night. Obama shirts and Obama buttons every which way you turned. Lilah and I stood in a long line waiting to eat at Fritz's, the vintage hamburger joint that delivers your food by way of a miniature train that runs just below the ceiling.

I had seen all colors and ages at the Obama rally. I'd even seen old white people with canes! And here in Fritz's was another ancient white couple. The woman was bent over and the man looked pale and shriveled. But darned if he wasn't wearing an Obama button. They'd been at the rally too!