I meet people

At today's Pride in the Park I met:

A man who while in college five times debated a young Republican that everyone thought would be governor....the young Republican was Ted Bundy.

A couple in their 50s who lovingly discussed meeting while canvassing precincts. The husband looked at his wife, reached out his hand to grasp hers and said: "That was our first precinct walk together." Which I thought was about as cute and old-married-coupley as you can get...especially for the progressive set. I wonder if there is a precinct canvassing anniversary card you can get from Hallmark. "I'll never forget your delicate knuckles as they rapped door after door. Your IDs so accurate, your demeanor never wavering. I knew I loved you then, and I do to this day. Through Carter, Reagan, Clinton and the Contract with America we've been partners, walking buddies, and I've cherished every moment. Here's to one hundred more blocks and 1000 walk sheets together. I'll take this house, and you can take the next, forever."

A former candidate who talked about leaving a meeting in the late 1970s and on the way out having a volunteer (a released felon) inquire as to whether he (the candidate) would like to do some coke. Upon hearing this I said, you know it's a bad sign when people are using your literature to cut lines of coke.

A man who was an archaeologist and now does ARC GIS for the forest service and helps them to map out their controlled burns etc, whose wife is an interiorscaper. She designs plant environs for inside your home. He also told me in amazing detail (I asked) about the greenhouse he built for her.

A woman holding a sign reading: "I'm a lesbian so there."

A man holding a sign reading: "God Save the Queens." My favorite sign of the day.

A gay felon (he said as much) who said he'd vote for my candidate because he likes bacon (the foodstuff). He also escorted me to the Walrus Ice Cream booth where he insisted I try "cake batter" ice cream. He was right, it's amazing.

A woman who tried to convince the local newspaper editor to hire me to do stand up comedy...ostensibly for the newspaper. I'm not certain that newspapers employ standup comedians, and if so what they ask them to do. Flattering, but baffling.