I had the most unexpected and interesting encounter with someone yesterday. It was a meeting of two strangers with something in common, and it truly made my day.
For the whole story, join me below the fold.
I live in a very Red town, in a very Red state. It's all too common to see bumper stickers that say things like "He's not my president!" or "Sorry Yet?", with an "O" that's Obama's campaign logo. Sometimes I just shake my head at these people; other times, I get kinda mad.
I was going to the store yesterday. I pulled into a parking space, got out, and was walking towards the entrance when something caught my eye. It was a bumper sticker on a '90s Cadillac that said "Old Grannies for Obama." I stopped in my tracks to appreciate it for a few moments.
Then the door opened, and out climbed a little old lady--she must've been in her 70s, at least. She couldn't have been much more than five feet tall. Deep wrinkles lined her face. Her hair formed a white halo around her head. And she walked with a cane.
She looked at me, obviously not knowing what to do. I'm a big fella, with really long hair and a long braided goatee. It certainly wasn't my intention to scare or intimidate her. I smiled and said, "Hi. I was just admiring your bumper sticker. It's totally cool."
Instantly, she beamed. "Well, thank you!" she said. "I made it myself."
"You made it yourself? That's awesome!"
"I sure did. I designed it on my home computer, went to Kinkos and had six of them made. One I put on my car, and I gave the other five to my old granny friends!"
I walked with her--slowly--into the store and told her how refreshing it was to see a bumper sticker like hers. She explained, "Well, I thought it was important, after seeing all the nasty ones around here. He inherited such a big mess, and has such a big job. I just felt that I needed to show him some support."
And her senior friends agreed with her. It turns out that almost everyone she knows voted for and still supports President Obama. "I've been around long enough to know an honest man when I see one, and he's the first one I've seen that was a politician! I'm glad I'm still around to watch him pull America's fat out of the fire." As we walked and talked, she told me, "He's the best thing that's happened to this country in a long, long time. And all that tea party stuff is sad, ridiculous and scary. I haven't seen anything like it since the Fifties and Sixties."
We finally made it into the store. As we parted ways, I told her it was very nice to meet her. "Keep praying for Mr. Obama," she said. "Hope he stays safe."
I only regret that I didn't get her name. Whoever she was, she was one sweet old granny for Obama.
And she really made my day.