The Man
By Nancy Vaughn
“Alright, everyone stay together,” the principal called out
as the students slowly exited the bus. “There are lots of other people here to
see the White House so keep track of our group. No backpacks needed.”
I was one of several chaperones with the eighth grade class
that came from California. My daughter was the history teacher running the show
and I was excited to see Washington, D.C. with her and the students. It was my
first time in the nation’s capital. Boy was I ready for the adventure.
We had five days packed with an unbelievable itinerary that
would help us hit most of the memorials, museums and other sites. Here I am a
60 year old woman expected to keep up with the students and the other much
younger chaperones. This was a challenge I would meet fed by my joy of being on
the trip.
We had just arrived at the White House and the place was
loaded with lots of other tourists. Pushing our way through the crowds we made
it to the fence. After we started to take photos the kids were pushing and
shoving to get their shots. I moved back and bumped into a man sitting on a
bench. I apologized and he smiled. He was a very handsome African American man
with close cropped silver hair. I made a comment about people wanting their
pics and he nodded and laughed. I moved away to find my daughter and forgot
about the encounter.
Our group moved to the west to go around to the other side
of the White House. As we were walking I looked up to see this same man walking
toward us. He passed by never looking at us. He was tall, over six feet and
wearing dark pants and jacket. I knew it was the same man. I turned to one of the other chaperones and
told her about my encounter with him. She turned to look back and said he
wasn’t there anymore. I stopped and looked back-she was right. It was a long
walk on the sidewalk and at one point I looked up and he was there-again-in
front of us! 
Then when we turned to head to the White House I saw him
again. He was standing under some trees. I pointed him out to my daughter. We
watched as he stood in the shade of the trees observing the stream of tourists
flocking to the building.
My daughter and I went up to do some more photos and I
realized he was standing near our group. He never looked at me and when the
other chaperone came up she saw him also. We were getting kind of creeped out.
When it was time to leave for the bus we both realized he was gone.
I noticed I had a photos with him in front of the White House behind my daughter to the right.
I don’t know who he
was and what his purpose was in being there but it was a strange experience.
-N