Awk...ward!

Click image to enlarge
I went to the sold-out Georgetown/Syracuse basketball game last night at the Verizon Center in downtown DC. I was standing on the concourse waiting for a friend when John McCain walks by! By himself! No people. No one with an earpiece anywhere in sight. Having nothing better to do, I naturally followed him in a stalker kind of way and was entertained by the surprised expressions on people's faces as he strolled by them. I think everyone was startled that he was him and he was by himself. Students rolled up and took pictures of him with their cellphones and he posed for a photo with the stupid Geico gecko. He got into the food line for hot dogs and I lined up behind him. I'm such a sucker for celebrity, I tapped him on the shoulder and said, "Senator, I'd like to shake your hand." He's much shorter than I imagined and was genuinely happy to shake my hand. I'm pretty good at smalltalk and he was standing next to me smiling and waiting for me to say something and I had nothing. "Erm...Sorry about the election? Didn't vote for you. So...You doing anything fun for the Inauguration? Um...nice suit?" I just smiled and he kind of gave me that knowing smile back. It was kind of sad. What do you say? Two months ago, he was running for President and yesterday he was by himself standing in a hot dog line. I felt bad. He was ok with it and continued along with his hot dog and box of popcorn as he parted the shocked crowd and made his way to his section. Seemed at peace with himself. I decided not to follow him anymore and walked back to my section.
I drew his cars and homes and his dark blue suit last summer for a political piece that a client was going to mass mail out, but at the last minute the project was pulled when Sarah Palin suddenly entered the race and the client apparently had more timely and salacious material to work with. I got paid well so it was all good and I wasn't terribly disappointed. Above is one side of the mail piece with the client's company removed from the green banner. Plenty of carefree time to eat popcorn and catch the Hoyas.