Posted by
Ron Devito on Sunday, November 22, 2009 11:38:54 PM
Reveille
After cleaning up and showering and
getting dressed, I checked my iPhone. Governor Palin had published a
Facebook Post regarding health care. It was not covered. I launched
into action, got the item on Accomplishments, did my Buzz, Digg, Fark, and Delicious, and put aside the laptop.
Not
wanting to wait for the condensation to clear off my car, I wiped the
driver's side mirror with my hand, turned on the rear defroster and
drove with the windows down in the freezing cold. Borders is only two
miles from the Day's Inn Henrietta, and my bee-line got me there in two
minutes.
Back to Hustling...
I
greeted Amy, Ed, Barb and the others. I went back to working the crowd
with the business cards and buttons. I met Kristina, Kate, and
Rachelle. Within the hour, the rest of my buttons were sold or given to
those promised. All I had left was Adrienne's and mine. Another
generous soul brought coffee, bagels, and donuts. It was like a huge
tailgate party -- just as Governor Palin would Tweet in reference to
her next stop. Like earlier, I whiled away the rest of the time reading
Going Rogue -- continuing to laugh or cry as the story continued
to unfold. The time to 0900 -- the opening of Borders -- flew. I made
it to page 105 and stopped.
Wristband Secured...
I
got my Blue A wristband and immediately went outside and put on my
right wrist. I wanted it there along with the red shirt I now wore --
for Reagan Conservatism. I met Adrienne and gave her the promised
button. Now, only the one over my heart remained....
Houston, We Have a Problem....
I
alternately went in and out of Borders holing up in the cafe and
returning to the camp post just outside the door. While talking with
Kristina, her sister Kate, and Rachelle, we heard a commotion outside.
Apparently,
the store did not get all 1,000 wristbands. They got 500. The second
group of 500 were angry. But they got stickers...they became the
overflow group. If Governor Palin had the time after the first 500, the
overflow would be taken in. JD Merkel, Rochester Organizer, 2012 Draft
Sarah Committee was in that second group. He resigned his fate to Going
Bust....
Adrienne and the store's staff had to deal
with the crowd. Everyone calmed down, but I did not find her to be in
an enviable position at that moment....Adrienne handled it like a
skilled professional -- as if she had been doing this all her life.
The Final Hours
The final hours were spent continuing to read Going Rogue,
charging devices, going in and out of the store and learning about the
structure of the event. A gift box was placed. I took out a business
card and chicken-scrawled a message of support. But going into that
box, it would get lost.
So, I opted for a greeting
card and wrote my message. I emailed a trusted colleague for review.
She loved it. I left the card envelope unsealed....The content of my
message will remain private; however, I will state that it is based
very strongly on the bottom half of Page 8 of Going Rogue.
A Sarah Palin look-alike -- Sharon from PA -- came in. I posed with her:
Then, Adrienne, Kristina, Kate, and myself posed at the book signing table.
Adrienne Ross
Front: Kate Lazzaro. Rear: Kristina Lazzaro
Ron Devito
The time drew nigh...We all left the bookstore and assumed our new positions to the left of the door...