Susannah's Still Alive

What

Helena Bonham Carter is playing Miss Havisham and Mme Thenardier this year

THIS IS GOOD

When I was 7 it was Bill Clinton’s last year in office, and my Dad and I went to visit my Uncle and future aunt (they now have a 10 year old son together) in DC. Mostly we went to the Smithsonian a lot where I was obsessed with the Rembrandts and Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers, but we also went to the White House. We had a little guided tour of the public parts which was sort of expensive, but my Dad sprung for it because my parents are bleeding heart liberals and loved Clinton. Anyway, at one point I walked up to a Secret Service agent and asked point-blank if I could meet the President. This was back when Secret Service agents were somewhat nice and he informed me that the President was abroad, but sorry he couldn’t meet me. He then pulled out a little photograph of Bill and let me have it. My dad talked to him and then somehow I ended up on the White House mailing list, so for my 8th birthday I got sent autographed pictures of Bill and Hillary AND Socks the cat and Buddy the dog (who has since passed, well Socks probably has too, RIP the both of them). I’m guessing I didn’t get a picture of Chelsea since she was in college at the time. Anyway, if you’re wondering how the dog and cat signed their pictures, there was a little paw print for Socks and a big one for Buddy. It made me feel like a very special little kid :’)