After I pulled my car into the garage tonight, I trudged through the snow to get to my mailbox. Expecting the usual utility bills, catalogs, and credit card promos that usually greet me, I was truly surprised when I found a large envelope from the Inaugural Committee.
Standing in the slushy street, in the dark with the snow coming down, I moved a few steps away from my mailbox to get under a street lamp in order to get a better look at the what I was holding. I carefully opened the flap, peered in, and immediately recognized what was inside...
Thanks to my 8th grade civics teacher, Ms. Hooper, I really got involved in politics in 1976 when I was 15 years old. I started out canvassing and making calls for Jimmy Carter in the Illinois Primary and practically lived at the local Carter-Mondale/Democratic Party Headquarters through the end of the general election, arriving there every day after school to work (I even had my own key!)
During the campaign, I got to see Walter Mondale in person and shake his hand; talk to Adlai Stevenson at a small gathering of about 15 people; meet our Senator, Alan Dixon; shake Gov. Dan Walker's hand (he hadn't gone to prison yet); and meet many local and state officials.
Time goes much slower when you are 15 years old and it seemed like the campaign went on forever. After much hard work and getting to know many good people, election day finally came. There was a small black and white television at the headquarters on which we watched the election results. About 10 of us regulars were glued to the set as we kept tally of the electoral votes as the states were called. The night was a long one in case you don't remember. Finally, at about 2 a.m. they called Hawaii for Carter!
That next weekend, I was back at the headquarters to help clean up and clear out. We took down all of the signs and posters, swept the floor, and loaded up a truck with the card tables and chairs. I turned in my key and it was over. I remember feeling bummed out, but that didn't last for long.
About eight weeks later, our mailman, realizing what he was delivering, knocked on our front door. I answered it and he handed me a large envelope which had my name on it. The very next day I read in my hometown newspaper about how excited I was when I got my Inaugural Invitation and how my dad was going to make sure I got to DC for the Inauguration.
Thirty-two years later, the memories of Carter's Inauguration are strong: the cold and snow; the HUGE crowds; the Oath; the cheers; hearing Carter thank Ford; running around to the other side of the Capitol when it was over to watch Ford waive goodbye as he entered the Marine helicopter to leave DC; making it to the parade route in time to see the Carters get out of their limo to walk down Pennsylvania Ave.; cheering the Parade Grand Marshall, Hubert Humphrey; waiving to the Peanut Brigade as they marched by; cheering Col. Sanders as he rode by in an open convertible; and that night watching the fireworks at the Washington Monument...
All of those memories came flooding back as I peered into that envelope tonight, and after a long silent, excited moment, I quickly ran back to the house to show my wife!