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Monday, February 18, 2008From the White House To the Grocery StoreYesterday, I saw Al Gore. No, really. Eric and I were enjoying a small lunch at Whole Foods. The lunch bar faces the rows of check out lanes -- not very scenic, but certainly fun for people-watching. And oh, we writers love to people-watch. I wasn't paying too much attention, though, at the moment when Eric called my name. "Jill." (He never calls me "Jill," remember? So this was already a bit weird.) "Jill, look." (Why was he speaking in undertones?) "Look, it's Al Gore." That caught my attention. I looked up, and there he was -- Mr. Gore himself, with his wife by his side and nary a bodyguard to be found. Well, unless they were inconspicuously dispersed through the crowd wearing their best hippie clothes. If only I had had time to jump up and trip Mr. Gore, or maybe fling my bottle of artisan water at him -- then I might have seen some action. As it stood, the Gores simply strolled out of the store, grocery bags in hand. Nobody noticed them. Nobody pointed at them. Nobody fell at Al's feet and thanked him for inventing the Internet. Nope. They simply walked out of the store like two normal human beings. Then it struck me. I had just watched a former Vice President of the United States and Nobel Peace Prize winner walk by in a crowd of people. There was nothing remarkable about his appearance -- he was overweight, graying, ordinary. He was, in all appearances, an "everyman". He still had the distinct ability to produce instant nausea, though. Or maybe that was just me. Is this what happens to former political leaders and makers-into-a-three-ring-circus-of-close-elections? Do they simply glide back into civilian life and go shopping on a Sunday afternoon? I wouldn't know. I've never seen one in public before. It was quite a moment. And despite the vitriol I'm biting back with each word I type, I must admit that it softened me a bit. Al Gore is, after all, a man. He dons comfy clothes and takes his lovely wife to the grocery store that's known for using only one hundred percent recycled paper bags instead of plastic. (At least he's consistent.) He didn't do anything to call attention to himself. He was just living his life on a Sunday. Just like I was living mine. So. Perhaps I deserve a prize for self-restraint. Or perhaps I'll do something more exciting than stare the next time I see a Big Name Person at the grocery store. Like mention how nice the unseasonably warm weather is. Okay, I'll stop now. That was my weekend. How was yours? Labels: life |
About Me
I am: Mother to five stunningly individualistic children... Writer of young adult fantasy... Passionate advocate for Women At Home... Madly in love with my husband... In need of Organic Gourmet Chocolate on a regular basis. I've got a Paypal account if you'd like to contribute to the cause....
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4of my readers are feeling chatty:
"Like mention how nice the unseasonably warm weather is."
SNORT!!!
I'd have to strike up a conversation about how remarkably cold it's been out here this winter. But you know.. it's probably the polar ice cap runoff chilling the water of the Delaware... or something. 0:-D
Nausea? great choice of words LOL :) love it!
Yes,next time you see (gag) Al Gore ask him why this is the coldest snowiest winter EVER and ask him if he would like to come and plow our nice warm snow so WE could go grocey shopping.
You disappoint, Jill. I could have sworn you were more open minded and caring than that.
However, I'm glad you had the maturity to realize that just because you don't like the man doesn't mean he's less human than anyone else.
And just because he's been a VP, won a Nobel prize and been on TV a lot doesn't mean he's not just a person like anyone else.
And to the misguided anon above me...get a clue. Are you so stupid that you can't understand that global warming isn't about you having milder winters? And yes, please continue to shoot the messenger (Mr. Gore) rather than taking some responsibility for the world around you.
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