KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After speaking at the Uptown Theater at 11 a.m. Wednesday, the President made a little detour on his way to the airport, stopping by Parkville, Mo., to chat with some patrons at a few shops there on Main St.
Instead of coffee, though, the President ordered an iced tea from Parkville Coffee. According to a pool reporter, the president offered to pay for all of the patrons’ drinks, and eventually they took him up on it. It included five refills and a chai tea.
When the president ordered an iced tea, an employee offered him one with lavender, the pool reporter said.
“I’m not confident enough to order that,” Mr Obama reportedly said.
The President also stopped by a local quilting and sewing supply store called Peddlers Wagon. The owner, Teri Hahs, said after a quick security check, he stayed around for about 10 to 15 minutes or so asking her all about her shop.
“Very exciting. Somebody came in prior about 35 minutes before and asked if the President could come to visit the store and we said yes, and they did some security things and brought a dog in that sniffed around. Then he came in and talked to us and he was very kind and he was just really nice. We enjoyed it, very surprised,” said Hahs. “I just never would’ve thought the President of the United States would come into my shop, but it was fun.”
Every once in a while a train passed, a well-known feature of Parkville’s downtown.
While in the area the President spoke with several different people, including students Lauren Russ and Josh Lewis.
“I thanked him for sending a letter to me and he said it’s good to keep in touch with the American people. I mean to really talk to them, send them letters and stuff,” said Russ. “I did it as a high school assignment and meeting him was amazing.”
Lewis said he and the President talked a bit about basketball.
“Man, it was an honor. I told him I played basketball at Park University. He told me I didn’t have a jump shot. I don’t know how he knew but we had a nice little cool conversation. It was cool,” said Lewis. “I’m shaking right now. It’s an honor, it’s an honor.”
After awhile, he shook hands and walked out.
He departed right on time, at about 1:35 p.m. from KCI.
