One sunny day in late January, 2009 an old man approached the White
House from across Pennsylvania Avenue, where he'd been sitting on a park
bench.
He spoke to the U.S. Marine standing guard and said, "I would like to go
in and meet with President Bush."
The Marine looked at the man and said, "Sir, Mr. Bush is no longer
president and no longer resides here."
The old man said, "Okay", and walked away.'
The following day, the same man approached the White House and said to
the same Marine, "I would like to go in and meet with President Bush."
The Marine again told the man, "Sir, as I said yesterday, Mr. Bush is no
longer president and no longer resides here."
The man thanked him and, again, just walked away.
The third day, the same man approached the White House and spoke to the
very same U.S. Marine, saying "I would like to go in and meet with
President Bush."
The Marine, understandably agitated at this point, looked at th e man
and said, "Sir, this is the third day in a row you have been here asking
to speak to Mr. Bush. I've told you already that Mr. Bush is no longer
the president and no longer resides here. Don't you understand?"
The old man looked at the Marine and said, "Oh, I understand. I just
love hearing it."
The Marine snapped to attention, saluted, and said, "See you tomorrow,
Sir."