I was in relative obscurity at the venue for the Inauguration Brunch downtown. It helps when you are generally recognized for your curly hair and your hairdo is nothing like that for once.
Channel 4 stuck a camera and a microphone in my face and asked me "why would you come to a place like this to watch the inauguration?" Well, let's see. What do you mean, "a place like this?" I looked around. Um, there are people here for a common purpose?
I told them I was there for the universal sense of community during a time such as this and that this was the most important inauguration in our lifetime. WORD Radio also stuck a mic in my face and I have no bloody idea what they asked me or what I answered. I was on the way out after joy, tears, jubilation, and a really good serving of grits.
What happened first is that Aretha Franklin sang "America the Beautiful" and that moved me to my first round of tears.
Then the announcement that it was a bit past 12 noon and, even though Barack Obama had not yet been sworn in, he was now indeed the 44th President of the United States. I lost it there too.
Then Obama was sworn in. And they introduced him as the President. And I was rueing not honoring my original plan to buy waterproof mascara that morning. Nor bring tissues. Thank God for the napkin they gave me. Well worn by the time I left.
When I originally arrived at the brunch venue, it was a grey day, freezing. As I walked out the door right after the benediction (which was beautiful and also humorous) and WORD's mic, the sun was shining. It was still freezing but I was warm. Main Street was empty of any cars in that minute I crossed the street toward the Hyatt garage. I was smiling. We were finally home.
