This September, Richland second grade student Gunnar Anderson, son of Roxanne Andersen and stepfather Chris Rauscher, could hardly wait. He was counting the days until the big day. His step father, was taking him to the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau to see the President of the United States, Donald Trump. The president wouldn't be a picture on a TV screen, he was going to be a real person in the very same room as Gunnar.
"We just thought it would be a good learning experience for him," said Rauscher. "More than anything, explain our governmental system."
However, fate stepped in, or rather a powerful category four hurricane named Florence that was barreling toward the east coast. The president decided to cancel his trip to Missouri, and stay in Washington D.C. to coordinate relief efforts.
Gunnar, very disappointed at this news, asked his parents when the president would be coming. They had to tell their young son they didn't know when or even if he would come.
Several weeks passed and Gunner received the news he had been waiting for, the president would be in Cape Girardeau Nov. 5. Rauscher immediately started making plans to attend the rally.
Rauscher picked Gunnar up after school and off they went, arriving at the Show Me Center about 4 p.m. The line to enter the building already stretched a mile and a half down the street. The line proceeded quickly through rain to the door.
"I got really wet," said Gunnar.
Despite warnings umbrellas would not be allowed, Rauscher stated there was a large pile at the door. Rauscher and Gunnar discarded their disposable rain ponchos at the door as well. Although they had tickets Rauscher wasn't sure they would get in. He explained the tickets were not checked or used. They were some of the last people allowed in the building that night.
Once through security they went to look for some seats, going to the upper level first; there were no seats to be had.
"I said if we are going to stand let's stand near an aisle so we can see," Rauscher stated. "I went down to the next section and the stairs went all the way to the floor."
Rauscher saw a gap on the floor where they could stand, he thought they might be stopped because they had no VIP tickets that Rauscher thought would be needed. However, no such tickets were needed and they found themselves by a metal gate on floor level mere feet away from where Ivanka Trump, Rush Limbaugh, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and others entered and stood.
According to Rauscher the atmosphere was electric.
"It was a rock concert," said Gunnar. "It was AC/DC."
While people were asking Ivanka for autographs she noticed Gunnar and Rauscher and walked over to greet them. Rauscher had no pen or anything for her to sign.
"She looked down and saw him (Gunnar) and likened him to her own son." said Rauscher.
After a brief conversation with Rauscher and Gunnar, Ivanka signaled to Huckabee Sanders and Gunnar was given a new hat by Huckabee Sanders.
When asked what he said to Ivanka, Gunnar replied "Well, nothing."
He did thank her for the hat though.
Josh Hawley, Limbaugh and Missouri Governor Mike Parson were among the others to personally shake hands and greet the duo.
"Gunnar is pretty quiet; he has the cute factor with his curly hair," joked Rauscher. "I was using him."
When the president came out, the podium at which he spoke was approximately 20 feet away.
"He was really good," said Gunner of President Trump. "I really liked him."
When asked why it was important to go see the president, Gunnar sat quietly for a moment.
"What is it we said we have the right to do that most other countries don't," Rauscher asked him.
"The right to choose (vote)," said Gunner.
"It honest to goodness felt like a concert," said Rauscher. "It was so electric."
A medical emergency brought the festivities to a halt for a brief time. Rauscher stated that during the president's speech a female toward the center of the room passed out. President Trump then halted his speech for 10 to 15 minutes so medical personnel could treat the ill women.
After the president finished his speech and had left, Gunnar and Rauscher received another surprise. As they were leaving a member of the secret service asked them to come over. When they walked over Gunnar was handed a Trump T-shirt.
Rauscher stated the event ended about 11:30 p.m. He thought about going to the airport to see Air Force One, but some roads including I-55 were closed for the president's motorcade until Air Force One left the airport.
"We made a quick shopping trip to Walmart while we waited for the roads to open." says Rauscher.
"We got home at two o'clock," said Gunnar.
Would he do it again? Gunnar answered with a resounding "Yes!"
"It was really good, I liked it," said Gunnar.
Gunnar said he told his friends and teacher all about it the next day. Upon learning his story would be in The Dexter Statesman he told his teacher about that, too.
"I told my teacher that I was going to be in the newspaper!"
When asked if he would like to run for president someday, Gunnar said that he would. He is off to a good start, making the principal scholar list five out of five times so far at Richland. Maybe one day he will be president. Regardless what he decides, he will never forget the memories of that night in Cape Girardeau when he got to see the president.