This is not a picture of Al Roker. He was scheduled to make Brattleboro the 48th stop on his record-setting 50-state tour at 9 PM last Thursday. We duly headed out, enjoyed special discounts and an overwhelming crowd at Duo restaurant (seriously guys, if you email the whole world, go ahead and put on another bartender), and watched carefully through the drizzle.

By following the great man’s progress on Twitter, it was clear that 9 PM wasn’t happening. He made it finally around 10:45, still a remarkable logistical feat, and completed his trip the next morning. Money was raised to help hungry people. We were asleep.

The thing of standing in the weather with a cardboard sign hoping for a glimpse or a handshake is a thing that I just can’t get excited about, whether it’s a weatherman, a candidate, or a Pope. I once paid relatively big bucks to attend an event only to be rewarded with a blurry picture of Hillary Clinton’s bodyguard’s earphone from the back, but that came with a delightful lecture by Madeleine Albright and outstanding hors d’oeuvres. Otherwise, no thank you, I’ll stay home.

So, Al, sorry we missed you, congrats on your new World Record, stop by again sometime when you can stay a little longer.