Do you see this cute story from The Mercury News? (12/4)

[TayTay]

Who's that tall man with the shiny loafers?


George Moon thought he recognized the tall, gray-haired man who walked into his Palo Alto shop last weekend and asked for a shoeshine.

``I asked, `Are you a senator?' `Yes I am,' he said.''

Moon's customer was none other than former presidential candidate John Kerry, who told locals he was in town to attend the Nov. 26 Stanford-Notre Dame football game with a pal who has a son who plays for Stanford.

After enjoying a solo lunch at the Palo Alto Creamery Downtown -- where he scarfed a chili dog with no bun, according to night manager Steve Welsh -- Kerry stopped into Moon's California Shoe & Luggage Repair to get a little TLC for his brown loafers, which Moon dubbed ``medium quality.''

``I said I'd like to repair them for him, because he's a leader of our nation, you know?'' said Moon, who said he voted for Kerry during last year's presidential race. ``He said, `No, OK, just a shine for me.' ''

Still, Moon broke out the private stock for his famous guest. ``I have a special shoeshine from Canada -- I save the cream only for good customers. I used that one, then a little spray shine.'' Moon even put a bit of glue in the toe area for a quick repair, he dutifully reports.

Kerry stuck around to chat with Moon, who called the Massachusetts Democrat ``very nice, natural.'' Then Moon rang him up for a tad over 20 bucks, including the price of three pairs of shoelaces Kerry selected.

``I charge everybody the same thing, you know,'' Moon said. ``We are equal opportunity.''

Okay, he can't not be recogized now. What a sweet little story.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/13325383.htm?source=rss&channel=mercurynews_local

[whometense]

1. Awwww...

that is sweet.

I'm BURIED in work today, but came over here for a quick break - what a lovely story to find!!!

[TayTay]

2. I had to donate today, so this is my

one year anniversary of posting to this here forum. Yeah! Nice little story to celebrate!

[jenndar]

3. Hmm...

not sure about the chili dog business. According to the Palo Alto Daily news, he ordered the $6.75 hamburger at the Creamery. That story's not online, though, for comparison :(

(I have been obsessively following this catnip ever since I found out the Senator was within walking distance of my house and I had no idea.)

[TayTay]

5. He was?

No call, no notice, no nothing? Damn. I hate it when that happens. We have to find a way to plant a GPS spotter on him. Then we will know. Sigh! (Just kidding, of course.)

OMG! That's awful. (I bet it was both the chili dog and the burger. Honest. Followed by dessert. And he's thin as a rail. Sigh!)

[Luftmensch067]

7. That was my reaction, too!

Probably both lunches! And then he ate more at the game. LOL! But considering the amount of energy he expends... :-)

[jenndar]

9. Nope, he did not call.

Le weep. Le sigh.

I nearly had lunch at the Creamery, but as it was right after Thanksgiving, and after a day of trying on clothes, anything other than a salad didn't seem like a good idea.

Also, I wasn't wearing a cute outfit. So the silver lining, if there is one, is that all that pre-feminist crap about looking nice all the time because you never know who you'll run into is actually more true than ever, what with my favorite Senator flying all over the country at the drop of a hat.

Lesson learned.

[ProSense]

4. Very cute. Thanks. n/t

[seito]

6. Made me smile

Nice story :)

[MonteLukast]

8. Awwww.

And this exchange just made me giggle:

``I asked, `Are you a senator?' `Yes I am,' he said.''

LOL!

[TayTay]

10. That is awfully sweet, isn't it.

I can just imagine minding my own business and seeing this rather distinctive figure walk in. "I know you from somewhere, right?" LOL!

[_dynamicdems]

11. Very cute! Senators do not usually have such national recognition. He's

going to have to get a fake moustache and a funny hat when he wants to go incognito. Nobody would recognize him with a large moustache and a cowboy hat.

:7 :7 :7

Are you a senator? No sir, he's THE Senator. The man from S.E.N.A.T.E

Suave
Enigmatic
Neat (well, he polishes his shoes)
Awesome
Tan
Energetic

Don't mind me, I'm in a silly mood and this was a very cute post. Poor JK...the price of celibrity. You can't just go eat a chili dog without somebody putting it on national news for Momma T. to read about and give you heck. (Not very healthy, Senator.)

:7 :7 :7

[FreedomAngel82]

12. Aw how cute

Sweet story. :) And cute they all get charged the same. :) I liked how he called Kerry a leader. :D