Last night, my husband and I took a break from work, volunteerism, and looking after the household in order to host friends for an Independence Day celebration, including watching a particularly lovely fireworks display over the Potomac River.

After the fireworks, we all sat around, snacked, conversed and made each other laugh quite a bit. Most of our conversation did not take us into the the topic of politics. But I did share a story or two about some of my experiences traveling for Senator Clinton. At that point, one member of our merry set asked me a question that really made me think. He asked, who, out of all the people I had met during the course of the primary season had surprised me the most, for good or for ill?

So many people flashed through my mind, people who surprised me with their open minds, their generosity, their graciousness when I visited their cities and towns. Rank and file Democrats like myself; prominent Democrats ranging from Rodney Slater to Mary Steenburgen; Independent voters who contributed - and continue to contribute - their thoughts and talents to Senator Clinton's candidacy and efforts to fix the D.N.C.

Suddenly, though, I knew the precisely correct answer for my friend. The person who surprised me the most in the course of my travels during the primary season was Senator Clinton herself, and she surprised me at a very particular moment right here in Washington, D.C.

I was there when Senator Clinton delivered a stirring speech at the National Building Museum: the speech where she emphasized that she was suspending but not ending her campaign; focused most of her time discussing the people and policies she will continue to fight for; and highlighted the "18 million cracks in the highest hardest glass ceiling" her candidacy for President achieved during the primary season.

Senator Clinton's speech impressed me but it did not surprise me. The surprise came at a relatively small private reception held near the Museum just after Senator Clinton's speech. The reception was sponsored by President Clinton and Senator Clinton. Many of us got there before the Clintons did since we did not have hands to shake or Secret Service arrangements to respect. When Senator Clinton and President Clinton arrived, they were rapidly surrounded by well-wishers, friends, people who had worked so hard to raise money and rally support for the campaign.

I did want a chance to thank Senator Clinton for her candidacy, so I joined the line to speak with her. Now, I have only met Senator Clinton personally several times, and she has of course met thousands, indeed millions, of people in the past 18 months or so especially. So I never expect her to remember my face or even my name.

When I did reach Senator Clinton at the reception, I handed her a glass of water I had gotten for her (since it was clear she was not going to easily make it to the serving tables!), and I asked her to look at the photo I have of when she so graciously joined me in a hug the first time I met her. I wanted her to see the photo because I had shared it with her campaign staffers whenever I traveled, and it always lifted their morale, making them laugh and smile.

After quickly looking at the photograph, Senator Clinton looked at me as when does when trying to place a face. She said, I think I do know who you are. You live in Washington [D.C.] right? Do you work for the government? I replied that yes, I lived in town (other people at the reception were from all over the country) but that I did not work for the government but for Georgetown University Law Center. Senator Clinton asked about my scholarly work. Since time was short, I said that a project I was working on at the moment is a co-authored piece comparing provision of health insurance in the U.S. with provision in the E.U.

At that second, I watched Senator Clinton go, in an instant, from a candidate chatting with a supporter, to a working person with a mission. She locked eyes with me and said, I want to see that article as soon as possible. I was momentarily taken aback (academics are not generally asked by politicians for copies of their scholarly work), and then inquired about how to get it to her. Again, in an all-business manner, Senator Clinton said, have it delivered directly to me at my Senate office.

Talk about multi-tasking, about never taking your mind off the issues that matter to you. On a steamy hot day after delivering a major speech, Senator Clinton had no problem staying focused - more than focused - on health care, one of her passions. She spoke to me as one professional to another in that exchange, in a setting not designed for that sort of conversation.

Today, I will be working on that article. And thinking of the friend who made me realize when Hillary Rodham Clinton surprised me.