A Charming Story

Some guy posted this heartwarming little anecdote on FreeRepublic.com:

Brushes with greatness, Clarence Thomas
Posted on 11/30/2000 15:01:07 PST by FoxPro

Clarence Thomas will be hearing an important case tomorrow. It reminds me of the time, several weeks ago, when my sons and I went to Chilies restaurant on a Saturday afternoon. We were seated at a booth. We had just gotten our food (the fajitas are great when you get a good batch), when a couple and a little kid were seated at a booth right next to us. I glanced over, and had to take a double take. Was that who I thought it was? Then the man laughed, and that was the confirmation, we are having lunch with Justice Clarence Thomas.

I had, for several years, had my oldest son watch Justice Thomas whenever he would make speeches on C-Span. I would explain to him that this was a good strong man. After a few years, my son started to inform me when Justice Thomas was on TV. His intelligence and down to earth demeanor always inspired us.

I leaned over to my son, as he was gobbling down his nachos and asked him if he recognized who was at the next table. His eyes grew wide and glassy, his face turned red and he said itsitsits.. And I said thats right, isnt it fun living in Fairfax Virginia? My son didnt eat much after that. Well we were almost finished, and the table was cleaned and we were waiting for the check. I knew that this was it, and I had to say something. I turned toward his table and said Justice Thomas. He looked over at me, with a look of surprise, and I then said When are you going to convince your associates to actually read the Constitution, and enforce the 10th amendment?. There was a seconds pause, where you get to reflect about what a fool you are potentially creating of yourself. And then it happened, Justice Thomas laughed, that big resounding laugh. I made Clarence Thomas laugh, how cool is that?

We talked for a few moments. For some reason the subject of C-Span came up. Justice Thomas related how he was watching C-Span that morning, and how this crabby woman called, and was complaining about how the government should be doing all of these things like health care and saving the environment, etcetera. After the woman was done with her tirade, the moderator of the show told the woman that she should call here congressperson and senators. The moderator then asked the woman who her representatives are. And the woman did not know! We all had a good laugh over this.

About that time, their food came, so we shook hands, and bid them goodbye. I told the boys to meet me at the front of the restaurant in a few moments, as I swung around to the kitchen area, and told the waiter I wanted to pay the tab and tip for the booth next to us. The transaction was processed, and we left. As we walked to the car, my son asked me what I had done while they were waiting for me. I said I just bought lunch for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Thus I went up several points in my cool dad status that day.

After a couple of hours, I went back to the restaurant and asked the waiter what had happened after we left. He said Justice Thomas was at a loss for words when told that someone had paid for their lunch. The waiter said he just kept on repeating Thank you, Thank you over and over again.