The Bodyguard

 

Just killing a few minutes before heading to my son's place.   Visions of brisket and wings going 'round in my head!

A popular Saturday meme asked bloggers to share a little-known factoid about one of our Nation's Presidents.   While I'm not participating, it did ring a bell.

Back in 2012 I reviewed Ronald Kessler's book, "In the President's Secret Service."  (https://mevely317.blogspot.com/2012/11/in-presidents-secret-service.html)   

The book's reviews were mixed.  (Everyone's a critic!)  Despite it not containing so many salacious details, I found it eye-opening.  The former agents' candor surprising.  

You see, ever since I  watched Kevin Kostner in "The Bodyguard"  I've been fascinated with those charged to protect the President and his family.  While the rest of the free world's attention is fixed on him or the First Lady, I'm  over here straining to identify those agents.  So yes, I'd recommend it.

Since we watched Jenna weigh herself on national television yesterday, here's a cute excerpt about her grandfather:

When Bush—code-named Timberwolf—was vice president, agent William Albracht was on the midnight shift at the vice president's residence. 

While agents refer to the President's Protective Detail as the Show, they call the Vice President's Protective Detail the Little Show with Free Parking. That's because, unlike the White House, the vice president's residence provides parking for agents.

Albracht was new to the post, and Agent Dowling filled him in.

'Well, Bill, every day the stewards bake the cookies, and that is their job, and that is their responsibility,' Dowling told him. 'And then our responsibility on midnights is to find those cookies or those left from the previous day and eat as many of them as possible.'

Assigned to the basement post around 3 a.m., Albracht was getting hungry.

'We never had permission to take food from the kitchen, but sometimes you get very hungry on midnights,' said Albracht.  

'I walked into the kitchen that was located in the basement and opened up the refrigerator. I'm hoping that there are some leftover snacks from that day's reception, It was slim pickin's. All of a sudden, there's a voice over my shoulder.'

"Hey, anything good in there to eat?'" the man asked.

'No, looks like they cleaned it out,' Albracht said.

'I turned around to see George Bush off my right shoulder,' Albracht said. 

'After I get over the shock of who it was, Bush says, "Hey, I was really hoping there would be something to eat." And I said, "Well, sir, every day the stewards bake cookies, but every night they hide them from us."

'With a wink of his eye he says, "Let's find 'em." So we tore the kitchen apart, and sure enough we did find them. He took a stack of chocolate chip cookies and a glass of milk and went back up to bed, and I took a stack and a glass of milk and went back to the basement post.'

Oops, Tom's standing with keys in his hand.  TTFN ... keep safe!

Hugs, Myra