President Bush was wild. I remember the first time I met him was after my flight aboard Air Force One. I was visibly shaken and all of the white house staff did their best to comfort me. I was like, "No man, no. This is the President of the United States, the leader of the free world I cannot f*ck this up!!" This guy could take my rank on the spot if he really wanted. But then everyone was chill, they were like, Dodson. Calm down, it isn't like that.
After I had set up for the appropriate procedure and looked back over it 12 times I had nothing to do but wait. I ended up openly mocking some dentist who worked for GW Bush before hand and showed up just to feel like he had a say in things. He ended up telling me to get the President a towel and I asked him where his assistant was. He knew exactly what I meant and began making me feel like shit with his Vietnam stories. It was effective. I have suffered plenty in my career but yet I have not yet graced the battlefield. I can only imagine and I live vicariously through the stories of men like him.
Driving on, the moment came.... the President was en route. Immediately my heart rate increased and I started sweating. I was standing there at modified parade rest when he came through the door. In an instant, the President of the United States of America was in the room. He was dressed ridiculously. He had on a bright yellow Hawaiian shirt, blue cargo shorts and duck boots. He was sweating profusely having just returned from an August bike ride (with a sedan following :). "We're kind of laid back around here" he said to me in a thick Texan accent as he kicked off his boots to reveal that he wasn't wearing socks and walked into the treatment room.
During his treatment he asked me, "Petty Officer Dodson, how long have you been in my Navy?' I was not yet a Petty Officer but replied "Four Years Sir". SHIT!!! I thought. It literally is his Navy. I have to ACE this. Then he asked where I was from. His response, verbatim was this: "Oklahoma. Well that's right next to Texas. Did you know I's governor 'a Texas? " "Yes Sir. I did know that."
As the visit wore on, all of the doctor types ended up crowding around the lightbox to discuss x-rays. During which time the President deemed it appropriate to wink at me, exaggeratedly several times. I was so confused.
In the end, he presented me with a serialized Presidential Coin and we left without event. Two hours later I was flying coach back to Washington DC. Captain Munro and I just looked at each other. Ain't that some shit.
