But, as viral sensations go, nothing beats real life. So perhaps it’s no surprise that a college student’s random encounter with Bush is taking off online.

It happened on a sidewalk in downtown Boston on Tuesday night, Emerson College student Ben Bailey wrote on his Facebook page. “Tonight, my life was made,” Bailey wrote.

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We’ll let him take it from here:

I saw a familiar face pass by me. A face that has so commonly been associated with defeat. Jeb! Bush. All alone dressed in a full suit with an American flag pin on his lapel while carrying a box of papers. I froze in place as he passed me and out of sheer ecstasy and astonishment I say “whoa.” I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was probably dreaming. I mean, seeing Jeb! Bush walk down Boylston in front of Emerson College, the school that has more love for Jeb! Bush than any other collegiate institution?! I had to be dreaming …



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I run up to him in the middle of the street and my heart is racing. “Mr. Bush!” I exclaim. Jeb! turns around and I am at a loss for words. It is him. He doesn’t say anything really, just a blank, somewhat confused/defensive expression on his face. At this point my memory is fuzzy due to the adrenaline and heavily concentrated joy that was going through my body. I said something along the lines of “I just wanted to say that I respect you for standing up against Trump during the debates and staying true to your beliefs.” With a sheepish smile on his face he says “Well. Thank you.” I ask for a picture, and then he leaves.

You can read the rest of the story here, which ends with Bush disappearing “into the night.” In the meantime, here’s Bailey’s selfie with Bush, from his Facebook page: