Rally Report V: The Rally

I didn't do enough. We were packed in and I was afraid to venture far from where we were. I saw a couple of people with O'Donnell signs and I wanted to head over to them and say hi and that I resent the one with a huge picture and the word "Teatard" next to it (or at least ask what it meant :) ).

As you saw in my Notes post, I was sitting next to someone with a paper O'Donnell mask. I chatted with her a bit, but it was hard to hear and be heard over the crowd. I complimented people on their signs or commented on their costumes and a few people, unbidden, did the same to me. One woman wanted not only my picture but one of my name tags. I said "when I try to do that to other women, I get slapped."

I didn't get to use most of my lines, and I had a LOT. Some were O'Donnells, some were mine, some were extensions of things she said. I think I'll leave them unsaid here. I've mentioned where I stand politically, but that's definitely not the focus of these pages. Except for a punchline, I try to stay away from politics. Maybe someday I'll do a political blog ("The Megaphone" perhaps).

The rally was great. I don't know what else to say. It did seem to be stuck in the 80s. Father Guido Sarducci, Yusef Islam (Cat Stevens), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (who was great in Airplane!), the O'Jays, R2-D2.... But that's OK by me. I'm stuck in the late 60s.

P and I lost the other ladies as we were approaching Independence Avenue. They were right in front of us and then they weren't. Each had a dying cell phone, and it was almost impossible to make a connection anyway. We eventually crossed and waited on 4th, trying to call. That's where P took this picture. Notice all of the people completely ignoring me. When you decide to go out, forget about blending in. You'll blend in just fine.

I thought I was going to give in and put on my flats at this point. It felt like I had a pebble in my shoe and walking was becoming uncomfortable. Since the women had the shoes, that wasn't going to happen right away. I took off my shoe and found no pebble but I did find the seam on my tights bunched up around my big toe. I straightened that out and I was good to go. I do need to practice taking off and putting on and buckling straps on shoes and still looking like a lady. It feels awkward and I keep thinking "how can I avoid giving everyone a show?"

Sometimes, I was very aware of how I was dressed. Mostly, I was just me. The Meg me. Maybe that was also part of P's discomfort. Maybe if I lumbered around or acted more like a caricature of a woman, he'd feel better.

The rally was great. I felt great. I would've been more than happy to hit the shopping mall to show myself off to my manicurist, and maybe get dinner, and spend the evening dressed. It didn't happen that way.

I was surprised how easy it was to just forget it was all a costume. I look back and feel a bit embarrassed, not so much because I was dressed, but because of the costume aspect when I was outside of the rally. I could have taken off the name tags, but then P would just be walking with a guy in a dress, which I thought might be more of a problem for him.

Mostly, I felt good, I felt natural, and I felt right. Some of my discomfort, and some of what held me back from mingling more, was my natural introversion, the difficulty getting around the crowds in even my low heels, and my voice. It really bothers me that I might pass visually, but as soon as I open my mouth, I'm sprung.

Oh.... Remember my short short list? I brought my purse, my flats, the chairs. I forgot to put new tapes in the VCR. I called my son before the rally started and got him to put in tapes. I made several copies onto DVD. If anyone missed the rally and wants one, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

I think this is the penultimate rally report.

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