March 6, 2010
I met the President
Washington D.C. is a strange place.
We carry on here, aware of but largely untouched by the politics that storm and swarm around us. My Washington is art, music, bars, running, house parties, farmers markets and community. I am an outsider to the insiders.
Yesterday was an exception when in a frenzy of surreality, I shook the hand of a man that so embodies the political contest. He came to my office to speak about jobs, greener energy, and where we go from here. I stood behind him on CNN.
I listened to his speech and I thought about why he was in our office. We are fortunate — we’re a successful start-up with no shortage of jobs and we have a company culture that advocates creativity, intellectualism, and fun. I am paid well to do what I love. But he came here to tell the press that “yes, 36,000 more people lost their jobs last month, but we’ll pull through”.
36,000 families go without, and the President congratulates me for continuing to do my job. I’ve never felt more viscerally aware of how blessed I am.
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I forgot to sign the post, but that is me in the back. I wore my favorite blue shirt.
This is great, Garrett.
Garrett, did he ask you anything?
I inquire only because years ago, a Chicago friend of mine was named a Young Urban Achiever or some such, and then-Mayor Harold Washington came to my friend’s office to congratulate him. Mayor Washington told my friend, R_____ K_____, that if there was anything he needed, he had but to ask. It was standard political happy-talk, but my friend said, “You know, Mr. Mayor, we could really use some additional shelving back here for the organization’s archives.”
Mayor Washington paused a beat, then asked, “Are you serious?”
My friend replied, “Mr. Mayor, I’m serious as cancer.”
Washington burst out laughing and called to his aides, “New shelving for Mr. K_____!”
I don’t know whether shelving ever arrived.
Hey, I heard about y’all on NPR’s Science Friday!
Sheila, my conversation with him was about 10 seconds long, centered mostly around what I do at the company. I honestly don’t remember it. Between the aura of the moment and the many press cameras, “stage fright” would be an understatement.
However, your story is amazing. I feel like it’s worthy of a post (and an investigative follow-up) of its own. Thank you.
Dave, glad you caught that. I heard it then too and it still caught me off guard.
Clusterflockers (and please forgive the product placement) – we are very much still hiring smart, passionate people. Get in touch with me if you’re interested.