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going to do for dinner. This was the night after the ceremonies, and this was really his first night in the White House, so to speak. He said, “Come on. Let's go out and have dinner with Bird [Lady Bird, Claudia Alta Taylor Johnson].

And at first I was confused about going out. I didn't have to ask him, but he said, “You know, we won't move into the White House yet, until the arrangements are made and we're still out at -- “and I've forgotten the name of the house where he was staying. It was the former mother of the Democrats. What was her name? She was the ambassador to Luxembourg. Perle Mesta! He was living in--They took over Perle Mesta's house for the vice-president.

I don't know whether they took it over, or whether she gave it to the government; but at any rate, that's where he was. Because there wasn't an official residence for the vice- president. He said, “I'll pick you up.” No. He said, “I'll send the car around for you. Where are you staying?” I said I was at the Mayflower. He said, “Okay, be on the side street and they'll pick you up.”

So I went downstairs and I no more had gotten to the doorway than I heard the sirens, and I thought, “Why in the world are blowing all the whistles? This is just a pick-up by the Secret Service.” And the motorcycles came up to the side door and then this police car came up and then the great big limo came up, and then I knew it was the president himself. I could see through the windows and saw him in the back seat, and he opened the door for me before I could open it and I jumped in.

The first thing he did was put his arm around my neck and said: “None of these God-