It was a fact that LBJ would, on occasion, personally call military offices and demand special favors. At one such time, he is said to have called TBS (The Basic School) at Marine Corps Base, Quantico, VA and the conversation went like this (jsut remember, you're reading this on the Internet...):
TBS: Good afternoon, this is The Basic School. How can I help you?
LBJ: This is President Johnson. We're having a state dinner here at the White House next Saturday. I want you to send out two lieutenants to be escorts for my daughters.
TBS: Yes sir, Mr. President. Is that all?
LBJ: I want them in their dress uniforms, tall and good looking.
TBS: Yes sir, Mr. President. Two tall, good looking lieutenants, dress uniforms, next Saturday evening. Is there anything else?
LBJ: (Remember, LBJ was an old time democrat and Texan). Yeah, don't send any damn' Mexicans!
TBS: No sir, Mr.President, no damn Mexicans. Will there be anything else?
LBJ: No, that's all.
Saturday evening came and two tall, good looking Marine lieutenants showed up at the White House, resplendent in their dress uniforms. They were promptly ushered in to meet Mrs. Johnson and introduced themselves as being there as escorts for her daughters.
She acknowledged their presence but said, "But you're both black. There must be some mistake!"
One lieutenant replied: "I don't believe that's possible, Ma'am. Captain Rodriguez NEVER makes mistakes!
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Mundane Journeys through an Amazing World begins with Interstate 80. Not the most engaging topic, I know, but when you think about it, I-80 runs all the way across the North American continent linking San Francisco and New York. It's not just a ribbon of asphalt, it's a portal to far away, almost magical places.
My visits to major cities like Tokyo, London and Washington DC have been business affairs. I haven't rode a lot of roller coasters or ridden in open air buses, but I have visited with senators, bought yams from the back of a truck and barely escaped complete embarrassment when I was introduced to Matt Wiener in Vegas.
As I wrote the book I realized that over the years exotic, distant places have become more like the mundane places I've called home. But, as it turns out, there really aren't any mundane places, only mundane ways of looking at things.
If you have the cost of a latte and a Kindle, you can buy a copy at Amazon by
clicking here.
Or buy it in print!
Mundane Journeys Trade Paperback
Editor's Note: Be sure to check out my blog at
michaelbissell.com/blog -- maybe not as funny as the 5,000+ jokes here, but I ramble about life, technology and other things that make
the world... nutty.
Today's blog: Being Watched by TV
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