HUMOROUS DELUSIONS
I Tweeted Michelle Obama … Then This Happened
Barack Obama knows too
Like everyone in this world, big and small, Michelle Obama is on Twitter. So, I tweeted her.
I did it because, after publishing my “Quitting” story here, a reader responded that the former First Lady had explored a similar theme in her book “Becoming.” That is, moving up and moving on requires one to break with the known and take a leap into the unknown in order to progress and grow as a person.
Truth be told, I’ve not read “Becoming.” So I don’t know if “quitting” is a subject explored in the work. I’m just taking my faithful reader at her word. Egregious fact checking, I know. Let’s just stay silent on this little sin, shall we?
I was just pleased and frankly dazzled that someone thought my work shared anything with that of a President’s wife, a notable book author, a famous accomplished person and so forth.
So, I reached out with a tweet. How modern of me.
“I’m told this is a theme you’ve explored as well.” my tweet to Mrs. Obama read. And, I included a free link to my Medium essay.
Pretty bland tweet, especially considering the racy stuff steaming up the pages of Twitter. I didn’t really want to push it; and I deliberately didn’t ask for anything, figuring that if a notable individual wished to reply in any way she would do so.
And, she did respond, in exactly the way one would expect … with total silence. Cue crickets.
Now, at the time of this writing, it has only been 41 days, and Michelle is a busy woman, so things may change. But that’s how it is for now.
How to interpret the First Lady’s silence?
I take it as a tacit “thumbs up.” She must just be figuring, as I have been, that anyone prescient enough to explore as important a theme as the one referenced above would understand silence as assent and simply move on secure in the knowledge we’re of like minds on this subject.
I’m gratified.
Busy people that we are, Michelle and I will probably talk about this important topic the next time we’re in the same room together.
For now though, it’s enough to know we’re moving through life together, happily sharing the same great thoughts.
As a side note, when Michelle and Barack occupied the White House I not infrequently used their hotel rooms around the world with their unspoken consent.
It worked this way.
I would approach the hotel front desk and state, while sporting a warm but firm smile, that, prior to arrival, I had checked with the first couple and they had assured me they would not be needing the Presidential Suite at the hotel that night. Then, once I had the hotel clerk’s undivided attention, I’d offer to take the suite off his/her hands so that it would not go to waste (suites spoiling rapidly, like bananas, if not used in a proper time frame). If the suite was unoccupied, more often than not, after settling some minor financial details, I got the room(s).
Funny, no one ever doubted me and checked with the presidential detail. Had they done so, their query may well have been met with silence. Again, assent in action.
PS: Dear Michelle and Barack, thank you for the use of your accommodations. They’ve been truly spectacular, every city, every country. You do know how to live.
