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stalking Looking for the Prez

So I'm playing super sleuth this morning (or super stalker, whatever works for you), driving around trying to scope out the area and figure out how Bush is going to get into the park. I looked around for street closing signs, which would give clues as to his route, but didn't see any. I did hear that the president would be taking a little "tour" of the town, driving through on his way to the park. So, I'm on East Meadow Avenue, on my way to the park entrance for the third time today (the secret service guys probably ran a check on license plate already) and I get stuck in a massive traffic jam - this is only a small, two lane road - by the firehouse. There's a county Hazmat truck parked going across the road at the edge of the firehouse, its lights going. There's a bunch of other county and town fire trucks, chief's cars and men in uniform milling around. Maybe Bush decided to visit the firehouse. It would make sense, no? I take a shortcut and finally get into the park entrance. Now this park is huge - 930 acres huge. On the right is the golf course, some park buildings and the restaurant where Bush will be rallying the campaign troops tonight. On the right is everything else; the lake, the mini-golf and batting range, playgrounds, tennis courts museum and general park-like things such as picnic tables and nasty squirrels. The sides are divided by four lanes of roadway. This is a major thoroughfare which takes commuters from East Meadow to Garden City in a much faster fashion than taking the main roads. My point here is that you can drive through the park without actually going to the park. As I drive through I see the NBC truck and the Univision truck. They are both trying to get into the field 6 parking lot, which looks like the media gathering area, but they're being turned away as the lot is full. So at least if I know where the media is gathering, I can figure out where the prez is going to be. I drive a little further and come upon a caravan of parked police cars, blocking off one portion of on area at the end of the park. So that's where they are building the memorial. Now, mind you I don't want to take pictures of the memorial or the groundbreaking and I intended to be nowhere near the place when the actual ceremony started because that would just be rude. I just wanted a teeny tiny glimpse of my president! And if I couldn't get a shot of him, I would settle for a man in black looking dangerous or a sharpshooter on the roof of a nearby building. I reach the exit of the park and make a left onto Merrick Avenue, figuring that the place where the ceremony is going to be held is facing the street, so maybe I could something. No such luck. The entire east side of Merrick Avenue is lined with county dump trucks and MTA buses. Looked like that for about a mile. Whoa, time out! I'm watching Bush live on tv now and he's still at the factory in Bayshore! I still have plenty of time to charge up the battery, scope out the roads and do some more stalking. I bet they'll be taking the Southern State to the Wantagh Parkway. Maybe if I stand on one of the overpasses, I can get a shot of the caravan..... Am I sounding crazy here? Because I feel it.

Comments

Does anyone else hear the theme from Mission Impossible in their head right now?

damn that laptop would have been helpful.

This is what you are doing instead of sitting here with me bored out of your mind???!! I'll remember this......at least you have a nice day to drive around like a crazy person!

Ha! Yes I hear Mission Impossible too! How exciting.
I can't wait for pics

off topic, but, Dave Blood from the Dead Milkmen killed himself. deadmilkmen.com.

cry

Just when I thought you couldn't be crazier you pull a stunt like this. Next you'll send bees with cameras strapped to them.

I used to live in Des Moines. When Bubba was prez, he used to come to town about once every other month (gotta keep those caucus attendees happy!), but he would always and forever stay at this one hotel in downtown, and he always arrived right at rush hour---grrrrr. (I was a courier---when they block off half of downtown for security reasons, and you can't do your job you tend to notice these things). Because they were generally in and out trips, the advance team would only get there a few hours ahead of time. So, here are a few helpful hints.
1.The snipers generally try to stay inside along the "parade" route---where the prez is just doing a drive by. The cars are armor-plated---they don't have to worry about bullets getting through...it's generally about spotting problems on the ground. It's not like the movies most of the time. They actually kicked people out of their corner offices, so each intersection was guarded from every corner at least once over. They do try to be circumspect about it---I only saw a guy on the roof of a building once.
2. When you actually see snipers outdoors, look to see what direction they're facing---that's where he'll be.
3. Park your car and walk---it's standard Secret Service protocol to block traffic on any street the Prez is coming down---for at least one block---in any direction. Look for the traffic cops---they're the first line of defense.
4. And one word of warning, PLEASE DON'T take pictures of the Secret Service guys. They don't like it and they'll take your camera if you do. If you're going to risk it, be far away when you do:)

See, useless knowledge does come in handy at times:)

Y'all who are local to Michele had better be ready to vouch for her. She might end up "detained". :)

Michelle as a Bay Shore Native, where was he? Entemanns?

Tom

One other bit of useful advice when interacting with the Secret Service detail, should the opportunity present itself, they have no sense of humor on the job. none. You tell them you write a web blog, they'll arrest you on GP.

Michelle, I could have told you that you were wasting your time trying to get close to the Pres. Hell, the man parked his plane a few hundred feet from my desk at work and I could barely see him. And I have the pictures to prove it.