I've never been here before. What am I doing standing in a parking lot at 12:00 am? What are all these other people doing here? The night is overcast and cool here in Southern California. I notice how quiet it is despite all the people. People speak in hushed tones and there are few smiles.
The line moves slowly but fairly steadily delayed only by the passage through a metal detector manned by polite people wearing custom suits designed to conceal the hardware they wear underneath because of the times we find ourselves in. We get on a bus and drive for about 20 minutes to a place I've been to before, but certainly never at 2 O'clock in the morning. I get into yet another line and proceed slowly past a reflecting pond toward a building that seems to be well guarded. The closer we get to the building the quieter it gets. Finally I'm inside the entrance. The lighting is muted, and it's very still. In the center of the room is a flag draped casket containing the remains of the 39th President of The United States guarded by members of the Military.
In about 90 seconds it's over and I'm outside again heading for a bus. there are still hundreds if not thousands of people behind me waiting their turn with more buses coming.
The night is still overcast but seems more somber now as if mother nature herself is grieving.
Ronald Wilson Reagan
1911-2004
Actor
President
Statesman
Rest in Peace Mr. President. You earned it.
The line moves slowly but fairly steadily delayed only by the passage through a metal detector manned by polite people wearing custom suits designed to conceal the hardware they wear underneath because of the times we find ourselves in. We get on a bus and drive for about 20 minutes to a place I've been to before, but certainly never at 2 O'clock in the morning. I get into yet another line and proceed slowly past a reflecting pond toward a building that seems to be well guarded. The closer we get to the building the quieter it gets. Finally I'm inside the entrance. The lighting is muted, and it's very still. In the center of the room is a flag draped casket containing the remains of the 39th President of The United States guarded by members of the Military.
In about 90 seconds it's over and I'm outside again heading for a bus. there are still hundreds if not thousands of people behind me waiting their turn with more buses coming.
The night is still overcast but seems more somber now as if mother nature herself is grieving.
Ronald Wilson Reagan
1911-2004
Actor
President
Statesman
Rest in Peace Mr. President. You earned it.
