From General Chuck Yeager:
I campaigned with President George H.W. Bush (’41) in 1988. Got to know the Bushes a bit.
My plane into DC for an event was late. A reporter asked if she could interview me. She was pregnant, about to pop. I said in your condition, out here waiting, I’ll giveyou all day.
She did a nice article that landed on the 2nd page of the big newspaper.
Vice President Bush invited me to his office. He asked how I got such good coverage.
One stop, Daddy Bush, (as President Bush was affectionately known) said he always takes a 30 minute nap at 5pm. So we went to the suite – there were two single beds. He lay down on one and told me to lie down on the other one, take a nap.
This was the Vice President. I slept with one eye open. I chose not to do what we did during the war with someone who snored. You kiss him on the lips. He’ll stay up all night staring at you….while you can get some sleep.
I’d speak first and get a big ovation – my books had come out a couple years before and had been wildly popular. VP Bush would come out…not the same reaction. Daddy Bush said, “Yeager, you’re a tough act to follow!”
At the Inaugural Parade, I was the head of it but FL Barbara Bush got her secret service to come get me, it was freezing outside, and have me sit next to her and the heater. Forever grateful.
She was very gracious.
After Glennis, my first wife, died, I got a call. “Chuck! This is Barbara.”
I said, “Who?”
“Barbara Bush, the First Lady. Don’t you know who I am?
I replied, “Yes, ma’am. But you weren’t first lady then.”
She talked with me for a very long time, over an hour. Very comforting.
I never forgot that.
Much later, we were at a baseball game together in Houston. The Bushes then invited Victoria and me to lunch.
After Barbara challenged Victoria on various topics and Victoria answered truthfully but artfully dodging taking Barbara head-on, it came time to order dessert. Daddy Bush asked Victoria if she would like some. He didn’t expect her answer:
She replied her family joke, “It’s the only reason I came.”
Daddy Bush, used to society types who were always watching their figures so never had dessert, was taken aback but amused.
He offered ice cream. To Victoria’s relief, Barbara said she wanted to hear the list. She wanted the last one – coconut cake with ice cream. Victoria was again relieved – that’s what she wanted.
After lunch, Barbara wanted photos together – a great chronicler. While posing together, Victoria thanked Barbara for ordering that particular dessert, it was great. Barbara noted: “You didn’t eat much of it!”
Victoria replied, “I haven’t mastered that talking and chewing thing…”
And Barbara offered her great wisdom. “And don’t ever. You’ll get fat.”
Victoria never forgot that. And has yet to master that talking and chewing thing…
c. GCYI
We flew by Dick’s daughter’s house – we all waved and then headed home.