How about the job of queen? Why not, I thought? Lots of wonderful dresses, eat whatever you wanted and nothing you didn’t want.

People would do what you commanded, you’d have at least one castle to live in, and lots and lots of servants. Cool.

“Wouldn’t you like to be Queen Elizabeth?” I asked my mother.

She said no, astonishing me.

She had at least two reasons. Her first: no time to yourself. That meant nothing to me. So what, I thought. But her second I understood, and it made me pause: a queen has to speak in public.

So I never became queen.

Never became president, either. What with all that public speaking and never being alone. But recently I’ve considered the benefits of being the spouse to royalty. First Spouse, as it were. Consider Michelle Obama: she’s promoting music concerts — classical, country, jazz — for young people; and she’s promoting healthy eating, with the vegetable garden on the White House lawn and making people aware of childhood obesity.

Yeah, yeah, as the spouse of the president you’re always surrounded and you still have to speak in public, but consider this: you get to promote your pet causes — and you get free publicity.

People take you seriously because of who you’re married to. There must be money available, too, to push your pet cause.

What a terrific opportunity.

If he were First Spouse, my husband Don says he’d promote the idea of public courtesy. Push it in schools. Encourage each state’s transportation commission to promote courtesy on the roads.

I’d promote storytelling. Or music I love, like ragtime and classical and ’70s rock. Or reading aloud.

Or maybe I’d start a classic movie series in the East Room.

What I’d really love is to talk about birth control and never shut up because no one would have the nerve to stop me.

At Auburn Nutrition Center, Lynette Sillions and Sandra Helms both think Michelle’s ideas of promoting organic vegetables is pretty good.

“And I’d encourage reading with children,” said Sandra.

Two lovely pet projects that could reach fruition if either one of them were First Spouse.

“I’d champion the creative underdog,” said James Van Eaton, co-owner of Winston Smith Books. “In addition to promoting literacy. I’d try to supplement the programs that the government keeps trying to destroy” — since, he said, art and music and drama seem to disappear first from a school in tough times.

“I’d promote programs that encourage people to read better material, break out of the choices they’re used to.”

Customer Alex Henry, new to the area, considered the possibility of being First Spouse, and what he’d push as a favorite cause.

“Instead of a poet laureate,” he said, “I’d like to elevate the philosopher. Have a philosopher laureate. Clear thinking is really lacking in politics and government.”

At Second Act, June Francis was stumped for a pet project, even as she bemoaned the problem of the homeless.

“I don’t know what the answer is,” she said — but agreed that if she were married to the president she’d have the wherewithal to promote awareness and encourage the finding of solutions. That would help. And that would make her happy.

Yes. You’d have to do something while your spouse attempts to lead the Free World. With the platform you’d have, you might as well try to make a positive difference in the world. There comes a point, after all, where you have enough dresses.

Susan Rushton’s column appears every other Sunday in the Auburn Journal. Her e-mail is Rushton@cebridge.net.