[Leica] Grateful for California Dead

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

Emanuel Lowi said:
> Leica, anyone? Or more obituaries?<<<

On a light Leica note. :-)

As I was one of the, if you'll pardon the expression, ;-) "One of the
Official Photographers" to cover President Reagan's visit to Ottawa, the
capital of Canada, it was a close encounter kind of thing. :-)

And I'd like to add to the President thing that, "I took his picture,
several of them as a matter of fact with 3 Leica's!"
So there you go eh. :-)

And we have a fine photograph in our family room of my son Scott, who was
the Prime Minsiter's personal photographer, during a State visit to
Washington, standing between President Reagan and Prime Minister Brian
Mulroney, taken by the President's personal photog at the time. :-) One
might say a bit of history hangs on the wall in this home.

However, a side bar: :-)

We all know the secret service guys guarding the President are armed to the
teeth at anytime and more so when he travels to another country.

On this visit to Canada he was to enter the House of Commons where weapons
of any kind are not allowed, PERIOD!  And the "Sergeant at Arms" controls
this with an iron fist, no weapons means just that! And God help the
security guy who thinks he can push the SofA out of the way.

The limos pull under the rotunda at the Parliament Buildings,  security guys
make a run for the door bulges under jacket all over the place.. OOPS!  "You
can't come in here with guns!"

A few moments of concern and the security guys are back at the limo leaving
their array of guns on the seats under  the watchful eye of other security
guys.

I mean there were all kinds of hardware that came out from under jackets and
coats, it was quite amazing lying all over the back seats of their cars. ;-)
And no we couldn't get at it for a picture. :-(

However, this was Canada and no need for armed to the teeth cops in the
Houses of Parliament. And of course it all worked out just fine. ;-)

I thought given everyone appeared to be ragging the late Pres. maybe a
little side story during a visit to our country might take the heat off the
conversation. ;-)

And all done with Leica's. :-)

ted