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Chapter 29
The reception for us started as we
pulled up. The car was
surrounded to the point that the Secret Service had a hard time shielding
us from any threats, yet they managed to do a pretty effective job of
getting us to the door. I had
on my best pin striped suit to make me look tall for the part, and Margie,
a clean yet beautiful red dress with hem below the knees, with the
American flag pin and white ruffled blouse.
She had picked out that dress weeks ago, and was waiting to wear it
for the first time tonight. The
crowds were all looking at us as we walked the halls to get to the
auditorium entrance we were to use. With
the Secret Service getting us to our entrance point, we did not talk to
anyone but the apparent smiles and waves and a couple of hand shakes that
I was able to give out. It was
all seemingly enough for these passing, exciting moments.
As I approached the doors to enter the auditorium, Ben Noble was
standing there. His smiles
were as big as anyone I had seen all night.
He seemed to nearly bust with excitement when he saw me, just like
the partner of someone he shared a very large lottery ticket with.
“Well President Elect Simms, how do
you feel tonight sir?” “Pretty
good Mr. Noble, Vice President elect Sir.
I assume the election results met your approval sir.
Did I let you down?” “No
sir, Mr. President! I will be
working for you now. How does
that feel?” “It feels
pretty good at the moment, Ben. I
guess it is our turn to receive the honors.
Would you like to enter the room first?”
“Not this time; after you sir.
I am right behind you.” With
that we walked into the largest reception I had ever had, or seen for that
matter. Upon our entrance the
room began to roar. It started
with hollering that got very loud, and then a full blown standing ovation
ensued. They had decorated the
auditorium for the event, balloons being released, confetti being dropped;
they definitely had done it right. We
were walking into an acceptance speech and the atmosphere was more than
anyone could have asked for. Standing
at the podium next to Ben Noble with our wives at our sides I started to
speak several times as each time the applause got very loud and the roars
from the crowd followed. This
went on for several minutes as I thought about my speech and repeatedly
prepared to start it. As the
crowd evidently exhausted themselves and was now anxious to hear what we
had to say, I finally got to start.
“The American people has had their
voice”, I began. “We have
won the election.” The room
again roared with yelling and applause.
This went on for two or three minutes as the camera flashes filled
the room. The crowd was truly
elated at attending this event and seemed more excited than we were.
As they slowed down the applause a little I started again, an
attempt to squeeze a few more words in.
“I want to thank the Republican Party for your support, as a
Republican White House will be your next administration.”
Again the applause and yells were as dramatic and big as any before
it, now chanting “Our Golden Boy, Our Golden Boy”.
The room again was crazy, as the balloons were again released and
more confetti fell from the rafters as if another choreographed phase of
celebration was set off.
Looking over at Margie I saw the
smiles on her face. She was as
happy as I had ever seen her. She
was so beautiful to me that it took me for the moment; staring at her with
the love I had for her and felt it more deeply than ever before.
She locked her eyes on me too, as to give me that approval at a
level I had always wanted to reach, but never fully could.
I had finally made her proud as I possibly could, and it showed.
I wanted to talk to her and be with her at that moment, but knew
this was the new business at hand and that had to wait.
This was a sudden and renewed deep love for her that I always had,
but was again feeling again like the first time I met her.
I would tell her later. I
turned to the crowd again to address them.
Their
roars were as strong as ever. The
room was crazy. They were
chanting “Our Golden Boy” over and over again.
The clapping, the yelling, all was overwhelming with enthusiasm and
energy. As I approached the
podium again I felt a sharp pain in my chest.
It had an impact like I had never felt before, like someone just
hit me. It hurt bad!
I grabbed my chest, to look down and see blood in my hands.
I can’t breathe. My
legs, they are so weak. I can’t… stand…
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