walkin' with Bill

Tonight I had a meeting at the school, I walked over from work (about 3 blocks). After the meeting was over, I was on my way back when I noticed that the guy walking across the street in front of me looked a lot like (former governor of Colorado) Bill Owens.

I wasn't sure if it was him, until I noticed one of the homeless dudes that is usually in that area staring at him, too. I caught the homeless dude's eye and mouthed, "Is that the governor?"

He responded, out loud (actually, he pretty much yelled), "Yeeeah!"

I wasn't sure whether to take a photo, or try talking to him... I decided to talk, and called out, "Governor!" -a photo of the back side of his head taken hastily from my camera phone would probably just be useless anyway, right?

He turned around, said hi, and asked if I was a student at the school.

I told him I was finishing up and would hopefully be teaching there soon.

He asked my name, shook my hand, and we started walking again. He said that he taught at DU occasionally, and asked what department at CU I was hoping to join. - Wait? are we having a conversation now?

I was not planning on this at all, and, while realizing that we were now walking together toward my office, I responded, "Architecture."

(A quick side note, here. Don't former Governors get a security staff? It's a little strange to me that this dude was walking down 14th street, with no one around except homeless guys and me.)

He wished me luck with the position, and I told him thanks, and then I blurted something about how I thought he was a good governor, and that I appreciated his bi-partisanship on issues, and that I thought it was really terrible what the former CU president did throwing him under the bus on the whole Churchill thing - What am I talking about?! Where was he walking?

"Ya, that whole thing...", he said. - Uh oh. Better change the subject. Where the heck is he going?- The notion that he might be headed, like me, to BWG Architects for the intermediate Spanish class flashed quickly through my mind.... Him: 'Hola! Me Llamo, Bill. Fue el Gobernador de Colorado. Y tu?' Me: "No, no fue un Gobernado. A Ti, te gustas gatos negros?"

We were almost at my office when I remembered that I needed to move my car because of the hockey game at the Pepsi Center tonight. -Ohh... Ok, that's probably it... - "Are you headed to the game?"

"Ya, I'm meeting some people there."

"Cool. Hope you have good seats..."

"Thanks. Good luck again, Scott."

I left him at the corner and went into the building to get my keys. I felt kind of dumb for that last comment. Of course he had good seats. He was a governor. He was considered as McCain's running mate. He's still on the news, well at least Fox News, all the time. He probably had a suite. - Then again, he didn't even have a ride to the game. Dude's friends made him take the 16th street mall shuttle and then hoof it alone the rest of the way. That's pretty weak.


Ok, so I have to say, I came away really liking him. He didn't seem bothered to talk to me, which is odd, since I basically yelled at him to get his attention. He did ask me if I voted for him, though. (I didn't... we moved here after he was elected for his final term.) But he genuinely seemed pretty humble . When I told him that thought he was pretty good, he said (really sincerely) that he was just thankful that people gave him a chance. That may be a prepared response, but at least its the right one.