74. 45-Year-Old Photographer In Seattle

My wife and I were driving an SUV on riverbed in Alaska. We pulled out of the river into a hotel parking lot. Then I found myself without my wife, in my hotel room, in the bathroom. Barack Obama came in.

I said Mr. Obama, and he looked at me and addressed me by name. I was uncertain what to do, began to stand, then decided against it halfway. I had also reflexively put out my hand to shake his, and Barack did too. We both stopped, with pained expressions, and I said, You don't have to. He quickly shook my hand.

I sat down and told him he should wash his hand but he left the room. Immediately, a Secret Service agent came in and started to check the room for bugs. I asked him to give me a minute but he insisted he had to sweep the room right away. Obama was right outside the door asking me to hurry up because he had to go, but I was so self-conscious with this Secret Service agent there that I could not do my business.