SECURITY

SECURITY IN GOVERNMENT
Pat Nixon,wife of the President once visited Springfield Missouri without the President being with her. This was in the 1970s during Mr. Nixon's Term.
Seeing so much security recently reminded me of Pat Nixon's visit when she stayed at the KENTWOOD ARMS. On your computer check out 'Kentwood Arms'.
Being on the Greyhound Extra Board of Drivers, I was called to drive one of the two buses to transport Pat and the Group and now cannot remember details.
However,I remember pulling up into the fancy drive of the Kentwood Arms and seeing Security Guards on the rooftops and dark suited secret service agents bumping into each other.
I learned that Pat Nixon was now ready to leave town and the two buses would take Pat and traveling companions and the Press People to the Airport.Just as Pat Nixon was starting to get on my bus,two young ladies asked, which is the Press bus,and Pat pointed ahead and said,thats it up there and one of the secret service men escorted the girls and put them on the Press bus.
Those girls had walked from the College Campus and right up to the buses,no invitation or authority. On the way to the Airport were armed Security Guards on every overpass and sometimes in-between.
Through the guarded gate at the Airport and out to the waiting Plane on the Strip and as Pat Nixon got off my bus she saw the two girls carrying their Cameras and called to them,had a secret service man snap some photos with their cameras Pat with an arm around each of the girls.
Now this was an unbelievable SCOOP because the official Springfield News-Leader photographers were not allowed through that guarded entrance to the Airstrip. During this time the other bus pulled out and left the scene.My bus should be empty and all authorized people on the Jet Plane.
Here came those girls walking fast,carrying those cameras,realizing their predicament.Incidentaly,all that were left on foot and not on the Plane were those girls and I. I motioned them to get in the bus and not necessary to tell them to get low and out of sight.
Next publication of the News-Leader were the Color Photos of the College girls embraced by Pat Nixon and searching for an explanation of how this thing could have came about.
Young ladies such as those are to be admired.Even though there may have been a possibility of getting into trouble,they recognized the worth of such a Great Scoop,leaving the Professionals outside the guarded gate. It was a few days before this bus driver relaxed.
sam canon city colo . ' Is'nt retirement Great , sipping that coffee ? sam