Crimson reporter: "Oh my God. You are a God."

Clymer: "No, I'm just a newspaper reporter."

Crimson reporter and Clymer talk briefly about The Crimson. A woman, acting on the wishes of the O' Neill family, ejects the Crimson reporter. Clymer promises to share any "color" he sees inside with the Crimson reporter.

Outside, the Crimson reporter is very excited. But it is still cold and he would like to ask the Times reporter if he will have lunch with him. A second foray in to the church is in order. This one was less successful.

Two feet in side the door, a hand takes the Crimson reporter by the shoulder. The reporter turns around. Yup, it's a Secret Service agent.

"Press?" asks the agent.

"Yes," says the Crimson reporter.

"Outside," directs the agent.

Back in the press pen constructed by barricades on the church steps, reporters are getting ready for the arrival of O'Neill's invited guests. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy '54-'56 shows up, first granting copious interviews. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II is next. Then the celebrity parade begins: U.S. Sen. Robert Dole (R-Kan.), U.S. Rep. Dan Rostenkowski (D-Ill.), Cambridge Mayor Kenneth E. Reeves '72, Gov. William F. Weld '66, state Attorney General Scott Harshbarger '64, State Senate President William Bulger, as well as myriad local politicians, including the entire Cambridge City Council.

A handful of Boston Globe executives and columnists also showed up. Mike Barnicle, the Globe's tough-talking, let's-get-into-the-fray metro columnist is among the group.

"He used to be a reporter," shouts out an unidentified but cold writer--clearly not a Barnicle fan--from the press pen.

Gore and former presidents Gerald R. Ford and Jimmy Carter show up soon thereafter. The sad procession begins as O'Neill's hearse pulls up in from of the church. The casket is carried inside. The church doors close.

As soon as O'Neill's coffin is across the threshold, the entire press pool and about thirty Secret Service agents headed for the White Hen Pantry. Inside, a girl working behind the counter says in response to a reporter's question: "Yes, it is definitely not your average day at the White Hen Pantry."

The line for the coffee is ten agents deep. The Secret Service also seems to have a monopoly on the bathroom. Extra trays of doughnuts and pastries are brought out from the back by the store's owner, a five-foot tall Asian American man who insists on having his picture taken with local news anchors who are warming themselves with his coffee.

A Channel 4 reporter is discussing with a secret service agent what constitutes the ideal number of pairs of socks on such a cold morning. "I think three is just about right," says the anchor.

Another government agent enters the store cracking jokes about how--in light of the temperatures--he is going to purchase a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream.

A group of agents, five-sided pins (like the Pentagon) in place, tell Nixon jokes by the frozen foods.

One agent: "I heard Carter took Amtrak."

Second agent: "I wouldn't be surprised if Nixon took the T."

Third agent: "He doesn't still get protection, does he?"