Betsy Devine: Funny ha-ha and/or funny peculiar

At two o’clock, all in suits and most in coats, we piled into a
limousine-minibus hybrid to go to the White House. One NLOTFW* had
forgotten his photo ID, which delayed our departure. From Wyndham Hotel
to White House, about 20 minutes.

For security reasons, the bus stopped outside WH gates. We walked past
huge stages with canvas-wrapped lights and podiums where news anchors
stand when doing exterior shots. We all got white plastic tags that said ‘A’ (appointment).

As we entered the West Wing, I heard a helicopter’s whep-whep-whep getting closer. The
President, arriving from Canada,
said a young blonde aide. Then we went into theTeddy Roosevelt Room,
where  another young aide, this one a Navy officer with lots of
medals, explained the drill: He had a
list, and laureates should line up in that order. Family members stuck
close to our own laureates. When the door to the Oval Office opened,
the President would be ready to begin. Don’t go in until the Navy guy
announces the laureate’s name. Laureate goes in, is greeted by Bush,
then laureate introduces family. Then photo of Bush with laureate, then
photo of Bush with laureate and spouse. Then laureate and spouse move
away and keep going counterclockwise to stand by the fireplace as Bush
greets the next laureate. Then a group photo of Bush with all laureates
by White House photographers. Then press photographers come in to take
exact same photo. Then it’s time to leave for the reception.

It was a very formal choreography, given its meaning by cameras recording it all.

Navy Guy: Frank Wilczek, Nobel Prize in  physics. (Frank walks in,
trailed by Betsy. President Bush is standing right inside the door.
Bush shakes Frank’s hand.)

Bush: “Congratulations. We’re very proud of you. [Frank probably said
something intelligent and polite here, but I didn’t catch it.] Who’s
that with you?

Frank: This is my wife, Betsy Devine.

Bush: (shaking my hand and smiling) Congratulations.

Betsy: That was very nice of you to jump right out of your helicopter and come see us.

Bush: (looking pleased, thinking what to reply) It’s windy out there.

Betsy: Good thing we’re in here then.

Bush (grabbing Frank) Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’ll take a picture
with just the two of us. (They pose, **F*l*a*s*h**) Now a picture with
all three of us. (**F*l*a*s*h**) Thank you so much.

Frank and I move off toward the fireplace and Bush really hustles
toward the door to greet his next guest (and after the next guest, the
next one after that) with word-for-word exactly the same script.
“Congratulations … We’re very proud .. Who’s that with you?”
etc. 

I imagine anybody who “meets” people in batches has to have some
routines worked out in advance–though  campaign donors probably
get “Thank you, appreciate your support” instead of “Congratulations,
we’re very proud.” “Who’s that with you?” has a friendly, informal
sound–and works equally well for one wife or fifteen grandchildren.

But I digress–then the press photographers arrived, in two groups,
each one racing and leaping to set up in a good position.
(**F*l*a*s*h**) (*!*F*l*a*s*h*!*) (!*!*F*L*A*S*H*!*!)

Then, as we had been told, it was time to leave for the reception.