Last weekend I went to southern California for a get together with some college friends and it was completely magical.
The get together was San Diego area but I flew into Burbank (LA area) (These geographic generalizations are for my loyal reader who might not be familiar with California) so I could have extra visiting time with one of my friends. I haven’t seen any of these friends for 6 or more years.
Burbank is a dinky airport. The plan was for Walker to park close by and I’d text when I arrived and she’d drive up to get me.
At Burbank they mean business. A driver is permitted a brief pause to let people in or out but beyond that and there’s a guy with a whistle and a white glove in your face.
Turned out the airport road was closed because the presidential motorcade was coming through. I had to walk from the terminal to find my ride. When I got to Hollywood Way they wouldn’t let us cross because the motorcade was coming right then. This white Porsche somehow managed to be driving on the closed road and the cops all waved at him (or her) so he made a screaming 180 and took off right when the motorcycle cops started zooming by. We all thought he was busted but he turned down a side street and no one followed him.
“We” is me and all the other people dragging our luggage out of the airport and waiting on the corner for our rides.
The motorcycle cops came in regular intervals and would stop a various points. One stopped right in front of us. Straight out of central casting – he would play the jolly cop would would help the little girl get her cat out of the tree.
Finally the motorcade came and it was about 20 cars with flashing lights driving crazy fast. White and black SUVs plus a couple of sort-of popemobile things.
Then it was gone. “Have a nice evening,” Jolly Motorcycle Cop said and he zoomed off. It was so smooth. Everyone seemed to know what they were doing.
Then they opened the street back up and the other cops waved at all the cars to get the traffic going again. I crossed the street and Walker was right there and I jumped in her car.
I said, “I just got here and already it’s so exciting.”
Part 2 tomorrow!
You should have held up a protest sign just for the fun of it. I guess you would have had to hastily made one by grabbing a homeless guy’s cardboard sign and repurposing it.