I’m interrupting the fire department stories to recall my interaction with some very genuine people.

When I was in the transportation department at MBNA, we drove some famous and powerful people here and there. Almost all of them were very gracious and wonderful to be around. One summer day, I drove some folks to a lunch down in Kennebunkport. The former director of the FBI had his family in one car and I was leading them with some guests of MBNA. We were going to Walker’s Point.

When we entered the grounds, the former FBI director drove straight to the house, but my guests were driven to the house in golf carts and my vehicle and I stayed with the Secret Service at their gate building. They had a comfortable lounge area there and it was interesting to chat with the Secret Service folks and learn more about their job.  A very unique opportunity. 

They rotate stations and the one assigned to me moved up to the gazebo by the house that sat in the center of the circular drive.  He suggested that I take the car up to the house and park by the gazebo and when the Secret Service suggests something on a former president’s property, you do it.

We continued to chat about kids and jobs and all that stuff and President Bush came out of the house, got on a golf cart and headed off. As he was driving away, he looked our way and then did a U turn.  He stopped at the car and said “You must be the driver that brought my lunch guests.” When I answered “yes,” he shook my hand and thanked me profusely for making what he called a wonderful dinner possible.  As quickly as he stopped, he was gone. 

I was floored and I’m still floored today. The fact that President Bush would go out of his way to thank a driver of his guests really impressed me about the type of person he was.

A little while later, everyone else came out of the house. The guests were saying goodbye to Barbara and heading for the cars.  Next thing I knew, Barbara Bush was coming up to me.  Our conversation was much the same as the one I had with President Bush, but when Barbara thanked me for delivering her luncheon guests, she gave me a big hug!  Yeah.  She did. While I’m still learning to get comfortable with hugs, even today, I knew that one was genuine.

Somewhere there are tourists who were on the shore that day who have videos and pictures of my car leaving the estate and who knows what stories they tell about it. They don’t say, “This is a simple guy from up the road in Union, Maine, leaving the Bush compound.” They have a much better story.

With the passing of Mrs. Bush, I’m reminded of just how special that day was and how lucky I was to be there. Leaving politics aside, which is almost impossible to do today, she was a wonderful lady who made an immense difference in the state of Maine and the care that children are able to receive here because of her generosity. She passed away as she lived; gracefully.