Going to the Bernie Sanders rally in Portland

Up not-so-bright and early to take a train to the Moda center with my wife and best friend.

We arrived to find an exciting crowd waiting to get in. It was cold but everywhere was a sea of smiles. Best Portland people watching you're gonna find. It took a long time to find the end of the line. So we stood in the rain with thousands of neighbors in multiple pretzels of lines surrounding the stadium. It was freezing cold and wet but not exactly a bad experience. We were joyful and steadfast. Not too afraid to suffer a little for democracy. 

Hanging out with old and new Portlanders was a treat. Folks finally got to talk to each other. Many people have seen us for over a decade and never had the chance to ask us, "Just what is it that you do?"

After the first few hours the kids in line got understandably grumpy. We broke out of the line and started a game of Tag. Olive was so fun to watch. She is way better and running around than I am.

Olive Rootbeer (After standing in line for hours and literally running around and entertaining kids for hours we shoved the first food we could find down.) I like the cram-look honey. Photo by Robert Oxman. When we got in we were given green bracelets and asked to sit behind Bernie with a few other citizens who carry loving keys to the city. I got to sit with this fellow. I feel lucky to have met this young man. 

Know who he is? Search "Portland hug" in a Google image search.

 Bernie's speech talked to everyone. It talked to issues we actually care about. He brought our people together. After Gram-pa spoke we had to hurry out, take off the Bernie branding and clown up more for our 4pm kid show at Pie Spot Pie Shop. At the show we told one story and it brought tears to the Moms. As we made the kids balloons we told the Moms about the Golden Finch who walked past the Secret Service and hopped up on the podium with Bernie. Nature tweeted it's vote right in front of all of us.

The lil feller plopped down right in front of us. We got to watch the secret serviceman's face as he went through the mental flow chart. "Is it a terrorist?, no, is it a domestic threat?, no, Is it an animal threat? no, whatever."Then when that birdie started walking across the floor to Mr.Sanders the crowd emitted the most amazing collective gasp. You could hear people whispering in a great roar "Put a bird on it" Bernie smiled. Then when it flew up to the podium with the people's prez, the crowd lost their ever lovin' minds. 

Folks broke out in tears (me included) and Bernie as usual had funny yet insightful opinions about the bird. That was an amazing experience.

We are back at Clown Zero again rebranding our clown to do an adult gig at The Analog. Busy day for some clowns in Puddletown.

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