This week my dad announced that he is running for Congress. I'm really hoping that he wins. While the fact that he could potentially be shaping national policy is thrilling enough in itself, I'm more excited about what the whole thing means for me. Because if my dad wins, that means I will become a Congressman's son. Although this position is quite a ways below President's son or even Vice President's son, it sure beats the hell out of Alderman's son, which is the position that I occupy now. I can trace my fascination with the idea back to around the time when the Forrest Gump Soundtrack came out. Out of all the tracks on the double CD, one of my favorites was Credence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son." While my friends revealed in the 60's activism of the song, I found myself identifying with those "fortunate ones" who CCR was targeting in the lyrics. As I sang along with the chorus, "It ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no senator's son," I found myself thinking that while I wasn't a "senator's son" yet -- I certainly wouldn't mind becoming one sometime in the future. Yet at the same time, I have a few hesitations about becoming the son of a Congressman. Like for starters, am I going to need a bodyguard? And if I am going to have a bodyguard, what will my bodyguard's name be? In my head, I envision life as the son of a Congressman as a very demanding situation. Between constantly dodging the paparazzi, I have to deal with all the fake people who just want to be friends with me because my dad is a Congressman. And then there is my safety to consider. I feel that as the son of a Congressman, the chances of kidnapping increase exponentially (this is where said bodyguard factors in). But eventually I come back to my senses and realize that my little brother is best friends with the son of our current Congressman. And that kid doesn't have a bodyguard and all those kids ever do is mow lawns anyway. No bodyguards, no paparazzi. So I am making an appeal to my father. Come on Dad, how about forgetting about Robert Clark for N.C. Congressman in 2004 -- just shoot for Robert Clark for President in 2004.

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