I’ve never been all that interested in politics. But I did live in Washington, D.C., before moving to the Vineyard three years ago – and I worked at The Washington Post – so I’ve had my share of political exposure. After moving to the Vineyard, I realized life would be more about small-town politics.

But as the Island prepares for President Obama and his family’s visit this summer, it seems I can’t really escape the excitement. So I’ve been reminiscing about my brushes with presidential types. I worked some years ago at Ford’s Theatre and was one of the few permitted to enter the presidential box, where President Lincoln was shot; the theater also hosted televised presidential galas attended by President Clinton.

My best story happened during a morning jog. I was up particularly early and went for my usual run around the Capitol. I felt completely alone, until I reached the far side of the building and noticed a guy on a bicycle riding strangely close to me. But then he went on his way, and so did I. After I circled the building, I saw a small group running toward me – with President Clinton in the middle. Before I could say, “Good morning, Mr. President!” one of his entourage joked that I was running faster than they were and had beat them around the building. That’s when I realized that the cyclist had been Secret Service and I just hadn’t seen the rest of the group. The chance encounter provided some welcome adrenalin for my run home.

Whether I happen by President Obama this month or not, it will be exciting to have him and his family here. They join many other first families with Island connections, which seven writers researched to present an extensive history (page 32), with some surprising political intrigue, and a lot of vacationing on the Vineyard – as it should be.