Accidentally spooked...The United States Secret Service.

[ViperGTS19801]

This morning, PiP and I got up early and headed up to the Lehigh Valley to watch her daughter's T-ball game. After it was said and done (six year olds playing T-ball is one of the most amusing damn things ever), we headed down towards my old apartment to pick up a few things, and decided to stop off at the Wawa on 309 in Richland Township. As we came over the hill, we were unable to turn into the parking lot because a State Trooper was blocking the entrance. From where we were, neither of us could see what the commotion was about, so we just made a right at the traffic light to head to the other entrance.

That one was blocked by a Trooper, as well. Thoroughly confused, we pulled into the adjacent strip mall's lot and parked.

It wasn't until we both had gotten out of the car and walked around the other parked ones that we saw the huge tour bus with Mitt Romney's name all over both sides of it.

Now, for a moment, I thought, maybe it'd be wise to hang out by the car and wait until the convoy left, but then I realized that if anything looks suspicious, it's a man with a gun looking down the hill at the Presidential candidate's tour bus. Besides, PiP and I really wanted our coffee, and it's not like I was doing anything wrong.

We walked down the grassy hill and crossed the Wawa parking lot, but stopped short of the 50 or so people that were crowded around the front corner of the store. I asked one of the people, "I just want some coffee...are they not letting people in?" The response was that they had actually cleared everyone out of the store when Romney went inside for his lunch trip, and that people would be allowed back in after he was back on the bus.

A quick glance around revealed no less than twelve suited-and-earpiece'd Secret Service agents, ten or so PA State Troopers, and several local township police officers. Most were focused on keeping a path clear from the Wawa doors to Romney's bus, but the rest were vigilantly keeping an eye on the rest of the crowd.

So, I leaned up against one of the big white poles along the edge of the parking spaces, waiting patiently. I don't really like many places' coffee, and I'm willing to listen to the sheep bleat for a while, as it's rather amusing sometimes.

After about two minutes or so, one of the Agents, wearing a tan jacket, casually strolled over towards me. He was about fifteen feet away at first, not looking at me but watching the crowd, and over the course of about 30 seconds, he closed the gap to less than three feet. I could have reached out and tugged on his jacket sleeve if I wanted to. Another five feet away from him was a second Agent, in a black jacket, and about another ten feet or so further, a third.

After a moment or two passed, and nothing was said to me (considering my strong side was facing the three of them and nothing at all would have been obstructing their view of my person), I assumed that they had noticed me and my OCed 1911, but didn't plan on saying anything about it.

A few more minutes passed and Mitt finally came out. He shook a few hands, PiP took video with her iPhone, and I just rested against the little white parking pole, waiting to get my caffeine fix. The various Agents did their crowd control thing, and after Romney was back in his bus, we were finally allowed into the store. Coffee was obtained, and we were again happy people.

We headed out and were walking back towards the car when PiP mentioned that someone was being interviewed in front of a news camera. I paused to see who it was, but with how many people were there, it was impossible to see. She mentioned how "very vigilant" the Secret Service Agents were, and how often they scan the crowd.

Just as I turned away from the crowd, I noticed the tan-jacketed Agent - and he noticed me. Standing on my strong side, now twenty or so feet away, he looked at me, looked at my hip, then turned away. By the time we got the edge of the parking lot and started to climb the hill, PiP told me that Tan Jacket had gotten a hold of a Black Jacket and they both watched us like hawks. We hiked back up the hill and got in the car, and both of the Agents, while talking to each other, never looked away from our car. At one point, Tan Jacket walked halfway up the hill, but stopped.

Just before we pulled away, both monitoring Agents, as well as the rest of the Agents we'd noticed, headed back to their Suburbans and headed out, since the bus was about to get rolling again.

Also, there was no dog.

[TheF00L]

Neat experience. Thx for sharing.

[Signmaker]

Would be neat to see a tally of the tax dollars burned in a mere candidate stopping somewhere for lunch. What a joke.

Cool story though, not something you get to witness every day.

[zeroflat24]

Would be neat to see a tally of the tax dollars burned in a mere candidate stopping somewhere for lunch. What a joke.

Cool story though, not something you get to witness every day.

I would absolutely love to see that. Im not sure i understand how its legal for the government to assign secret service to a candidate. We have absolutely no say over it and they arent even members of the gov.

[Computer Steve]

Glad you're ok. I just checked... and it's not ruined for everybody.

[PrettyInPink]

All I wanted was some goddamn coffee, and I got cockblocked for fifteen minutes! All because Romney decided to try and avoid the Democrats!

[tommy610]

They are idiots. You are the last person I'd worry about, standing there in the open with your gun on your hip, near the SS and LEOs. Or is that what they've been taught the MO of bad guys is now... show up with your weapon in full view for about 10 minutes before you "make your move"? Idiots.

[ViperGTS19801]

Well, I'm sure they were rather irritated at not having noticed it sooner.

[phillyd2]

And you spooked them how exactly?

[GeneralWashington]

I would absolutely love to see that. Im not sure i understand how its legal for the government to assign secret service to a candidate. We have absolutely no say over it and they arent even members of the gov.

I'd like to see a candidate that refuses bodyguards and just OC's everywhere so he can take care of himself, lol.