In the mid 1980s I had a unique opportunity for an exclusive interview in Plains, Georgia with Jimmy Carter, the former President of the United States. He revealed some stories about himself that I had never heard before and was proud to include in my book about the success secrets of famous people, "Reivent yourself."
When he came into the room, he was friendly but seemed a little stiff at first. But he sat next to me on a large couch with Rosalynn on the other side. It was a small physical gesture that made me feel at home.I began by asking about his travels during his days in the White House.
“We try to make our trips multi-dimensional,”
Then Carter told me a story that presented a different side of his personality, a willingness to be self-effacing. In Egypt he had gone for an early morning sightseeing tour of the pyramids, accompanied by Secret Service agents and Egyptian officials.
Coming down the road was an old man leading a somewhat unruly camel. The man stopped and stared at Carter and began to gesture and speak loudly. Carter asked one of the Egyptian officials what the man was saying.“He would be honored if you rode his camel.”
Everything I had read about Jimmy Carter iindicated he was a remarkably kind man. He is also a politician who knows a photo op when he sees one,
“I climbed on the camel,” Carter said. “It was about three times the size of a normal camel. Suddenly the camel bolted, and I was hanging on for dear life. I had an audience by that time of other people. It was an absolutely ludicrous situation for the President of the world's most important country."
“Finally I was ready to get off, but language was a barrier, and I didn’t want to appear to be too distressed. I was trying to be manly and presidential."
A rush of U.S. and Egyptian security officials rushed the camel and by sheer weight of the crowd forced the camel to kneel. Carter got off gingerly but with a Presidential smile. The villager who owned the camel was very exciting, talking rapidly as he extended his hand to Carter.
"What is he saying?" Carter asked one of the Egyptian officials.
The official was a little slow in answering. Finally he said, "The man didn't know who you were but he knew you must be important because you were surrounded by so many people. He was just congratulating you. You were the first person who ever was able to ride his camel.”
Rosalynn said, “I wrote that up for our book, but Jimmy was too proud to let me use it.”
