This Morning's Star Sighting At The Senate

It was busy at the Senate this morning. There were a lot of female interior decorators standing around handing out some flier....something about safety. They were wearing green stickers, one of which fell on the floor and stuck. A security guard was bent over trying to peel it off until he realized he was taking his life in his hands with all the traffic up there today.

Other lobbyists I haven't seen before were also there, gathering on the treacherous Senate stairs and attracting the attention of security which tries to keep people (protesters at least) from lingering there. Those stairs are treacherous! Anyway they didn't leave after being talked to. I suspect it was simply an obligatory warning on the part of the guard that neither he nor the lobbyists took seriously.

As I was watching the action on the stairs, I saw a familiar face making its way though the lobbyists toward the top of the treacherous Senate stairs. It was Al Franken! He was like two feet away, looking at the floor (those treacherous stairs) and in a hurry but I saw him glance at my sign, "MAKE MY FAMILY LEGAL." I was so surprised by his sudden appearance I couldn't think of anything to say, then was kicking myself after he passed wishing I had at least said hi. A short while later, I saw him leave the Senate office door with his overcoat on led by, I assume, a handler. They seemed to be headed for the elevator, but then they were suddenly back-tracking and coming my way, headed for the treacherous Senate stairs. I guess the elevator must have been too busy. This time I would say something. As he approached, I dropped one side of the banner and stepped forward, extending my hand and saying, "Senator Franken." He took my right hand with his left and growled, "how ya doin' " and was off. I wish I had said something like, "will you advocate for marriage equality when you reach the Senate?" But no. That would be entirely too sane for me to say. Oh well, he got a good look at the sign and my sticker which said, "EQUAL MARRIAGE RIGHTS NOW!" At least he is now aware that people here care enough about marriage equality to be spontaneously showing up at the Capitol to protest for it. He can take that knowledge to the campaign trail and beyond. If he shows up again, I'll try to suppress my neurosis long enough to eek out a statement.