FLOTUS

Under normal circumstances just following Ali through Hangar 909 and past the half dozen fighter planes parked there might have been the visual highlight of our day. There was more to come. We waited on the tarmac (I've always wanted to be able to use the word tarmac in a sentence involving me.) for the First Lady's plane to arrive. Our assignment was to sit in the straggler van and wait for Franny to climb in so we could surprise her. Then we would ride in the motorcade from Buckley Air Force Base to the Governor's Mansion for the first event of the day.

We got a small glimpse of the First Lady alighting from the plane, but the biggest treat was watching Franny bustle around in her business clothes with her cell phone in permanent text position directing people--important people--to go this way and that. She looked busy and in control the way Holly Hunter looked in "Broadcast News." It is important to note that, as opposed to Holly Hunter, she also looked happy--that Franny smile.

It wasn't supposed to happen this way. Originally we were to meet Franny at South High School where the First Lady was scheduled to talk to/with a group of selected girls about their futures, their nows, their questions, etc. It was all part of a successful female mentoring program Mrs. Obama is launching--and Franny is organizing--to give promising young women a head start. After the kickoff event in D.C., Denver was her first stop on the "Mentoring Tour". Other stops to be announced.

Those plans changed when Ryan, one of Franny's advance team, emailed us that they wanted us to surprise her and spend the day with them instead. We thought it was a potentially good idea and that is why we ended up at Buckley at ten on Monday morning. The happy look on F.'s face told us it was a good idea.

If I were president, getting to ride in a motorcade with sirens blaring, running through red lights with impunity, and shutting down whole portions of interstate highways just so I could transit rapidly from one spot to another would be reason enough to seek a second term. Right now, I can't think of another.

We motorcaded out of Buckley, waving at people lining portions of the streets, and proceeded to commandeer I-225, I-25, and finally Logan on the way to the Governor's Mansion, the site for a luncheon with dozens of girls chosen from local school populations and a handful of famously successful, or successfully famous women. Janet Neopolitano was there, and Katherine Sibelius. Susan Sarandon was the only lady there not power dressed in black or shades of gray with pointy toed and spikey heeled black footwear. She came in a sweater, cords and running shoes, and I'm sure she was the envy of every lady there. Mrs. Ritter and Mrs. Hickenlooper were in attendance, of course. One of the Desperate Housewives made the gathering, but I couldn't make her out. I thought a severely dressed black tressed lady with the spikiest boots I ever saw might be the desperate type, until I was otherwise informed by a van driver.

With the exception of those named above, it was a lot like watching "Dancing with the Stars." I can never tell which is the star and which is the dancer.

After the lunch and some Broadway entertainment (It seems that Mrs. Obama's young life was changed when she saw her first musical and she wanted to share that experience with the gathered kids.), we took the motorcade to South, closing up more streets and avenues en route. I loved the way kids filled South's windows to get a glimpse of the First Lady and other famous types. Getting out of the van I suppressed an urge to give one of those hand rotating waves that famous people give. I wish I would have because I think I might have disappointed a few of them. Oh well.

We finally met the First Lady after the event at South finished around 3:30. As I expected, Michelle Obama is a hugger. Not one of those polite little half-assed hugs, but a full-fledged bear hug that makes the recipient feel like the First Lady had been waiting all day for this reunion-like moment. I was more than a little impressed.

After it was all over we took Franny away (she decided to spend the night in Denver and catch a commercial flight back to D.C. in the morning). We had a great dinner at Bones and went home to talk and go to bed.

A great day.