Notes From the Inauguration of Barack Obama – Inauguration Day
Written by jkapitz on January 21st, 2009
IT IS 6 AM.
I have been awake for 24 hours
.
I have been sandwiched and squeezed and pressed against 2 million to gain access to a plot of earth that was home to stand for half a day. I opened my door at 6 AM and thousands of marchers were marching in unending rivers. Four of us tried to meet three more but the river was blocked by buses and barriers. We called and impossibly our missing three were almost next to us. The sign ahead said silver tickets, our match, but we did not move forward for an hour. Then we gambled and reversed against the human gridlock until we found a moving river that flowed to our target. Cold feet and warm spirits were our foundation. We chanted non-stop for hours. You watched it on television. We needed to be there. We chanted goodbye to Bush as the chopper lifted. We cheered or booed our heroes and villains. Mainly we squeezed and shivered because that is what history required today. We cried and laughed a lot.
.
I have been sandwiched and squeezed and pressed against 2 million to gain access to a plot of earth that was home to stand for half a day. I opened my door at 6 AM and thousands of marchers were marching in unending rivers. Four of us tried to meet three more but the river was blocked by buses and barriers. We called and impossibly our missing three were almost next to us. The sign ahead said silver tickets, our match, but we did not move forward for an hour. Then we gambled and reversed against the human gridlock until we found a moving river that flowed to our target. Cold feet and warm spirits were our foundation. We chanted non-stop for hours. You watched it on television. We needed to be there. We chanted goodbye to Bush as the chopper lifted. We cheered or booed our heroes and villains. Mainly we squeezed and shivered because that is what history required today. We cried and laughed a lot.
A party, a ball, another party, a pub. Our ball was too formal, sedate…boring. Barack spoke and he danced with Michelle and it was special after all.
We made new friends on trains, street corners, wherever and whenever. Is DC so great or was this moment just special?
Special thanks to new / old friends from the convention in Denver - Sherry, Tania, Tim – the best reunion possible. New / new friends – Wally, Jennifer, Bob, Matt, Dick, Anne – until the next time we meet to change the world.
TODAY WAS MY BIRTHDAY. Thanks to all my friends everywhere for making it the best ever. Thank you for your text and voice messages. Congrats to all of the hardworking volunteers. We are the change we have been waiting for.
Until next time, Jay.
