The Secret Service

I have always admired The Secret Service. They have gotten a bum rap over some things, but they are the best of the best. After graduating college, I tried to become a Secret Service agent. I was in tip top physical shape, but I had bad eyesight. That was before Lasik surgery. Of course, there is the portion of the agency that handles counterfeiting, and I dealt with them, when I worked at the bank, but the main group has been the protection detail. I am amazed and in awe at the care and professionalism these people have. They have to be that way. They are protecting the most important people in our country. Two stories on them:
1. When I saw Gerald Ford in Dallas in 1976, it was on a Sunday in the downtown area. The buildings are very close together, with a lot of skyscrapers. Everyone was very nervous about Ford being in Dallas, and the comparisons to Kennedy being killed there. He was advised not to come, but he was in a very tight race with Carter and wanted to make an appearance at the largest Baptist church in the country, at the time. I was standing across the street from the church. The street was very narrow, only one lane. There was a crowd of supporters and reporters standing around, waiting for Ford to leave the church and get in his car. The YMCA was across the street from the church. I noticed that there was a window open at the YMCA about 6 stories up. All of the windows were supposed to be closed. I motioned a Secret Service agent over and asked him if that window was supposed to be open. He said "Oh my God!!" and yelled into his microphone. Within seconds, the window was shut. The agent came over and thanked me.
2. When Bill Clinton came to speak in Columbia, it was an outdoor event at the State House. I was working at Belk downtown. I was on my lunch hour and stopped at a store to get a candy bar. It was a hot day. I ate the candy and got up to the State House. They had taken away all the trash cans for security reasons. I didn't want to drop the wrapper on the ground, so I headed toward a building to find a trash can. A Secret Service agent asked me where I was going, and I told him. He said I couldn't go in the building. When I explained to him my dilemma, he told me to give him the wrapper. He stuck the gooey chocolate wrapper in his pocket. I thought that was dedication on his part.