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dflprincess

(28,485 posts)
Sun Feb 12, 2023, 08:08 PM Feb 2023

You never know who you may run into at Target

I had most the items on my list in my cart & had started the walk around to find stuff I didn't know I need when I noticed a woman & thought "I know her - but from where?" You know it can sometimes be difficult to place a person when you see them where you don't expect to.

After a few seconds it came to me & I decided I'd better say something as she seemed to have noticed me giving her the side eye. So I asked, "Aren't you Tina Smith?" And, yes, she was.

We exchanged a few pleasantries, I said I appreciated the job the Democrats were doing & understood some of the obstacles they face, mentioned I enjoyed Biden's rope a dope at the SOTU (her husband joined me in that comment) & hopefully did not say anything too stupid.

Naturally, for the last several hours, I have been coming up with all sorts of witty & intelligent comments I could have made. But who's ready to run into their senator at Target?


33 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
You never know who you may run into at Target (Original Post) dflprincess Feb 2023 OP
Good story! pandr32 Feb 2023 #1
Very cool! Rhiannon12866 Feb 2023 #2
I would certainly not want to run into my Rep - soldierant Feb 2023 #12
Same here... Rhiannon12866 Feb 2023 #13
Good for you. I would have been totally tongue tied. Fla Dem Feb 2023 #3
I live in GA and would feel completely comfortable running into our Senators SouthernDem4ever Feb 2023 #7
Well if I met either of my senators, hmmm maybe in that Fla Dem Feb 2023 #14
My daughter, 18 at the time, met Obama when he was first campaigning for POTUS. In Albuquerque. panader0 Feb 2023 #8
Maybe in the Dakotas or Montana BidenRocks Feb 2023 #4
Tina Smith? Shopping at Target? Like a normal person? OMG! Aussie105 Feb 2023 #5
That is cool! PlutosHeart Feb 2023 #6
I passed him once in a skyway but didn't have the nerve dflprincess Feb 2023 #9
Same here. PlutosHeart Feb 2023 #27
I saw him once at the Landmark Center geardaddy Feb 2023 #32
Dan Rather once sat next to me in a hotel lobby; I coudn't think of anything witty to say, Liberty Belle Feb 2023 #10
That was the perfect thing to say, and probably the most meaningful to him. JudyM Feb 2023 #16
This message was self-deleted by its author Dum Aloo Feb 2023 #11
Many years ago I was registering voters outside a busy CVS during evening rush hour JudyM Feb 2023 #15
I got the winner. Mawspam2 Feb 2023 #17
We may have to share the winner's circle. calimary Feb 2023 #18
In 1942 my mother went out to L.A. to live with her aunt dflprincess Feb 2023 #28
It can make a difference where you live. There are parts of SoCal where you're GOING TO see stars. calimary Feb 2023 #29
This message was self-deleted by its author Dum Aloo Feb 2023 #20
So many wouldn't even recognize their reps. Sadly. live love laugh Feb 2023 #19
I was crossing a Dayton street once when a ma in a blue suit True Blue American Feb 2023 #21
I would, Mike Turner True Blue American Feb 2023 #22
He sounds unworthy of recognition. Yikes 😬 live love laugh Feb 2023 #23
I certainly would recognize my rep. Sadly, MTG's pic is everywhere, esp. online. japple Feb 2023 #25
My late husband and I were filling up with gas at a station next door to a McDonalds japple Feb 2023 #26
I thought you were True Blue American Feb 2023 #30
In the grocery store a few years back KS Toronado Feb 2023 #24
That's cool! geardaddy Feb 2023 #31
Those are both incredibly cool encounters! nt dflprincess Feb 2023 #33

pandr32

(12,180 posts)
1. Good story!
Sun Feb 12, 2023, 08:13 PM
Feb 2023

I have had experiences like that where I can't stop thinking of all the things I should have said instead of what I found myself blurting out.
I am sure she appreciated your comments.

Rhiannon12866

(222,465 posts)
2. Very cool!
Sun Feb 12, 2023, 09:04 PM
Feb 2023

I realize that I'm unlikely to run into either of my senators anywhere, though one of them did show up in the district when she first ran for Congress (and won!). And I would not want to run into my Rep. since I would feel obligated to say something, but she apparently no longer lives in the district.

Kudos to you for speaking up! She likely appreciated your supportive words.

Fla Dem

(25,708 posts)
14. Well if I met either of my senators, hmmm maybe in that
Mon Feb 13, 2023, 12:12 AM
Feb 2023

case I hope I wouldn’t be tongue tied. Cause I’d want to call both of them f’king A-holes!

panader0

(25,816 posts)
8. My daughter, 18 at the time, met Obama when he was first campaigning for POTUS. In Albuquerque.
Sun Feb 12, 2023, 09:39 PM
Feb 2023

Her cousin had clearance to the event at the airfield. She said he walked by and shook her hand and
asked her name, but she could barely speak. She loved him as much as I did and still do.

BidenRocks

(932 posts)
4. Maybe in the Dakotas or Montana
Sun Feb 12, 2023, 09:23 PM
Feb 2023

Not so much in So. Cal.
Too big.
Good for you. Like all of us, the comebacks come hours later.

Aussie105

(6,283 posts)
5. Tina Smith? Shopping at Target? Like a normal person? OMG!
Sun Feb 12, 2023, 09:25 PM
Feb 2023

Yes, people do have a life outside their day job.

But keep an eye open for the same thing happening again, and have some witty comments at the ready.

PlutosHeart

(1,445 posts)
6. That is cool!
Sun Feb 12, 2023, 09:35 PM
Feb 2023

I ran into Walter Mondale at Byerly's on East Hennepin once but was too in awe to say a damned thing. Just shadowed him. lol.

dflprincess

(28,485 posts)
9. I passed him once in a skyway but didn't have the nerve
Sun Feb 12, 2023, 09:40 PM
Feb 2023

To say anything to him.

I saw him coming toward me & just kept thinking "Omigod, omigod, omigid"

PlutosHeart

(1,445 posts)
27. Same here.
Mon Feb 13, 2023, 08:00 PM
Feb 2023

My husband grabbed me by my shoulders, swung me round to fully view him and said "There is one of your heroes!". Usually not at a loss for words I was speechless.

geardaddy

(25,348 posts)
32. I saw him once at the Landmark Center
Tue Feb 14, 2023, 10:16 AM
Feb 2023

during a Chinese New Year celebration. I walked up to him and introduced myself and told him I appreciated his work.

Liberty Belle

(9,611 posts)
10. Dan Rather once sat next to me in a hotel lobby; I coudn't think of anything witty to say,
Sun Feb 12, 2023, 09:44 PM
Feb 2023

other than that I appreciated the integrity of his broadcasting. He was still the CBS news anchor back then.

JudyM

(29,517 posts)
16. That was the perfect thing to say, and probably the most meaningful to him.
Mon Feb 13, 2023, 12:25 PM
Feb 2023

You spoke for millions of us in that moment, Liberty Belle.

Response to dflprincess (Original post)

JudyM

(29,517 posts)
15. Many years ago I was registering voters outside a busy CVS during evening rush hour
Mon Feb 13, 2023, 12:22 PM
Feb 2023

Not immediately recognizing him, I asked a man, “Excuse me, sir, are you registered to vote?” And as he stopped in the crowd and held my gaze for a moment with a subtly bemused look, I realized it was Barney Frank. That was a funny moment for both of us

Mawspam2

(849 posts)
17. I got the winner.
Mon Feb 13, 2023, 03:26 PM
Feb 2023

I was at Riverside Intl Raceway (CA) back when it was still operating. I was standing at the urinal relieving myself when the guy next to me finished, zipped and left. Taking his place was Richard Petty. Resisting my fan boy urges, I used my best etiquette, I said nothing and did not offer to shake his hand.

calimary

(84,385 posts)
18. We may have to share the winner's circle.
Mon Feb 13, 2023, 05:06 PM
Feb 2023

When we still lived in L.A, and I was still in elementary school, every Sunday we'd see Alfred Hitchcock and his wife in the front pew at church, and frequently we'd see Rod Serling at the neighborhood grocery store.

dflprincess

(28,485 posts)
28. In 1942 my mother went out to L.A. to live with her aunt
Mon Feb 13, 2023, 09:20 PM
Feb 2023

and see a bit more of the world.

She often saw Bing Crosby at Mass as he didn't live too far from her aunt and was in the same parish. Another time she was waiting to cross the street & Mickey Rooney stepped up next to her - gave her a wink as he left the curb. She said for a kid from a small town in Minnesota it was quite the thrill.



calimary

(84,385 posts)
29. It can make a difference where you live. There are parts of SoCal where you're GOING TO see stars.
Mon Feb 13, 2023, 10:19 PM
Feb 2023

The celebs are all around, and you see 'em. They're at the gas station. The dry cleaners. The pharmacy. Walking their dogs.

I remember the Easter Mass where I spotted Brooke Shields and her then-beau Andre Agassi in line for Holy Communion.

My favorite random celebrity encounter was one day at the grocery store, where I'd gone to buy more jars of baby food. I had an armload that I was trying as carefully as possible to move into the shopping cart. But of course, I blew it. Suddenly, jars were rolling all over the floor in the middle of the baby food aisle. I think I'd been stooped low enough that nothing broke, fortunately enough.

Anyway, as I scrambled to pick them all up, I noticed a man a few feet away, bending down to pick up more of the stray jars. He brought them over to me and then helped round up the rest of them. I was flustered but grateful and I thanked him. And then it hit me: that volunteer helper was Mark Harmon.

Response to Mawspam2 (Reply #17)

True Blue American

(18,167 posts)
21. I was crossing a Dayton street once when a ma in a blue suit
Mon Feb 13, 2023, 05:34 PM
Feb 2023

Was coming towards me. He was looking around to see if anyone recognized him. I did and we both smiled. It was Mel Torme when he was just becoming popular.

Same with Jonathon Winters His family owned Winters bank. I was in the car that time waiting.

True Blue American

(18,167 posts)
22. I would, Mike Turner
Mon Feb 13, 2023, 05:41 PM
Feb 2023

A former Mayor of Dayton, well liked and respected. He has gone completely Freedom Caucu. Lied like crazy this weekend on the Sunday shows.

japple

(10,334 posts)
25. I certainly would recognize my rep. Sadly, MTG's pic is everywhere, esp. online.
Mon Feb 13, 2023, 06:34 PM
Feb 2023

I would rather have an unrecognizable person who was kind, decent, hardworking, and a member of the Democratic party.

japple

(10,334 posts)
26. My late husband and I were filling up with gas at a station next door to a McDonalds
Mon Feb 13, 2023, 06:39 PM
Feb 2023

in Georgia. This big stretch limo pulled into the McDonalds. As the passenger got out, I said to my husband, "that woman must really be someone important." He said, "That's not a woman, that's James Brown."

KS Toronado

(19,596 posts)
24. In the grocery store a few years back
Mon Feb 13, 2023, 06:14 PM
Feb 2023

when someone gave me a big smile and a wave I naturally nodded back & smiled, then it dawned on me
it was Sen Jerry Moran so I turned back around to look again and he's looking right at me,
so I stuck my tongue out and he kept smiling like it didn't bother him.

geardaddy

(25,348 posts)
31. That's cool!
Tue Feb 14, 2023, 10:13 AM
Feb 2023

I've had a couple of brushes with our reps. One a few years ago was when I was in a bagel place on 26th and Lyndale and Al Franken walked in when I was waiting for my to-go order. I walked up to him and said, "We miss you Al." He shook my hand and said thanks.

The other was when Mrs. Geardaddy and I were bumped up to business class on a flight and Mrs. Geardaddy got to sit next to Arne Carlson. They talked for the whole flight about politics.

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