Clinton days are here again

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA: Shirley Watson-DiTota was in a euphoric state of mind. This middle-aged realtor waited 30 hours in a serpentine queue for her moment of glory.<br /><br />When it finally came, she was speechless. Former president Bill Clinton looked at her, smiled at her, shook hands with her and made her day.<br /><br />"It was pure magic!" was all an awestruck Clinton fan could manage after coming out of the book store. <br /><br />It was the same magic that drew close to 4,000 people to Cody''s Books, the bookstore that was part of the book signing tour for Clinton''s biography, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">My Life</span>. <br /><br />Some enthusiasts like 24-year-old Margaret Nguyen came in at the break of dawn, buying bagels and coffee from the adjoining coffee shop. The owner, who understandably had little time to talk, was fully prepared since the onslaught of customers "was expected". <br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Next Page: </span><a href="/articleshow/msid-761110,curpg-2.cms">‘He looks sexy in a polka dot tie’</a><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal">Nancy Glimme, a 46-year-old, history school teacher camped out from 9 p.m. the night before, just to secure a place in the line. "I want to tell him just how special a man he is and to say that we miss him and his times," she said adding with a wink, "I also want to tell him that he looks sexy in this polka dotted tie!"<br /><br />"We have sold about 2,800 books but have been asked to issue only a thousand tickets. We are sorry that we are disappointing so many others but that''s what we are asked to do." Melissa Mytinger, spokesperson for Cody''s told timesofindia.com. <br /><br />Most of the people whose ticket request was turned down were planning to return the book. "If the store cannot accommodate us, I think we are okay by not buying the book here," said one middle aged man, who had apparently waited for too long in the line before being turned down.<br /><br />The hysteria spread across genders and ages, but it was certainly the ladies who took the cake when it came to being the more determined in the waiting game. They formed groups, danced and sang "<span style="" font-style:="" italic="">I am waiting, I am waiting; waiting for someone to come out of somewhere</span>" by Rolling Stones.<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Next Page: </span><a href="/articleshow/msid-761110,curpg-3.cms">‘I miss peace, prosperity and Clinton’</a><br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section3"><div class="Normal">There was a separate queue for the old and physically challenged and when the hero of the day decided to stop by their line first and then proceed upstairs to the book signing room, there were loud cheers from everyone. <br /><br />Looking dapper in grey pants, a light blue shirt, a dark blue blazer and a light pink polka dotted tie, Clinton waved and sent out flying kisses to the crowd that just couldn''t stay calm. The applause was loud and the adoration was uninhibited.<br /><br />"He kissed my hand and wished me a good life," exclaimed Norma Montgomery who was sitting on a wheelchair and had waited for seven hours. So, what did she do for such a long time? "I read the book", she said smiling and contented.<br /><br />A live band played on with people forming Mexican waves and cheering them while ignoring the sole protester among the crowd. He held up a huge board which said, "Clinton is a war criminal". <br /><br />Makeshift stalls selling ''I love America'' t-shirts and badges did brisk business. Most of the crowd was sporting badges with a picture of Clinton and some catchy captions. One proclaimed, "I miss peace, prosperity and Clinton" while the other said, "Send Bush to Mars".<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Next Page: </span><a href="/articleshow/msid-761110,curpg-3.cms">Buy at $35, auction at $500</a><span style="" font-weight:="" bold=""> </span><br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section4"><div class="Normal"><br />With California being a predominantly democratic area, that did not come as a surprise. Affirming his complete trust in Clinton''s achievements, Kedar Hiremath, an 18-year-old student of UC Davis said, "We had the best of everything in his time, I have come today just to shake hands with him and tell him that he is simply the greatest."<br /><br />Though, none of the Cody''s staff would confirm it, there were a few who had a completely different plan in mind. An official said some people were planning to get the $35 book signed and then auction it on eBay and other websites for prices that could go up to $500 a book. <br /><br />Clinton can sign about 400 copies an hour and while he signed with his left hand, he shook hands with his right. He signed more than 1,275 copies at Cody''s, and an unknown number of copies outside the store, a source at Cody''s informed.<br /><br /></div> </div>