Political Hugs & Kisses

On Tuesday, Congressman Dreier arrived at my library with his entourage for a library tour of the facility that he raised the initial $1.3 million for. Last night was the first Town Council meeting at the library so Supervisor Antonivich was present. He ponied up the additional $21 million needed to complete the library. I don't have a lot of experience with politicians. A few Japanese ones that are a completely a different animal and former Governor Ceyetano of Hawaii. I went on a trade mission with him and other business people to Korea one year. I didn't have much interaction with the former governor, only a few pleasantries during course of several days. Ceyetano was super laid back but I was mostly impressed by his speaking skills. An extremely good orator. So essentially I doubled my politician experience this week.
On Tuesday I felt like a celebrity. The Congressman came complete with cameras. I don't know if people actually knew who he was or not or just that fact that he looked famous but a number of the patrons were whipping out their cell phone cameras as well to record the moment. My first experience with pseudo-paparazzi. The visit started out with a firm a handshake that lasted longer than I was comfortable with. I am always awkward and unsure when it comes to touching other people that I don't know. I prefer the Japanese bow. Even in church my order of preference for offering peace is a bow and then a handshake. I have to steel myself for hugs if that is what the church does. And saying Our Father, I do not like to hold hands with the people around me if I don't know them. So Congressman Dreier's handshake quickly ratcheted up the meter of discomfort especially when he gave me a slight pull in towards him. Completely unnerved, but I kept the smile pasted on my lips. Later, at the end of the tour I did actually get a hug. Super awkward on my part. I felt I was doing a dance move, handshake, in for the hug, and then swing out. I almost lost my balance.
The last night at the end of the Supervisor's words he made his way to to back of the meeting room where I was seated a table. I got up to shake his hand and then he pulled me in for a cheek kiss. Fortunately, I am more comfortable with cheek kissing after years of teaching students from other countries and living in Hawaii where male acquaintances seem to often cheek kiss and closer male friends will actually lip kiss. I had about 3 male friends that would plant me a big one whenever we saw each other. Again my discomfort meter is triggered when I don't really know the person at all. I have been to many events with Supervisor Antonovich present, ground breakings, job fairs, dedications, etc. Also I am greeted by his smiling face every time I check the time. There is a photo of him posted under the clock at the Customer Service Desk. I almost feel that I know him. So thankfully the cheek kiss went off without a twinge on my part. But I did note that I seem to have crossed from a member of the crowd to someone that can be kissed.
I am beginning to feel a bit like a celebrity myself. I have had my photo in the paper and stories where I was quoted no less than 4 times in the last month. I am kind of enjoying all the attention, perhaps I need to start getting out of my comfort zone and offer people more hugs and kisses myself.