Election Day
Well, the precinct where I vote, where, if there is a line, the line has maybe twenty people in it, but this morning at 6:04 am there were two hundred and fifty folks, all thinking that they were going to be first in line. I, at least, thought I would be in that line of twenty. People were getting on the phones and telling others about "the line goes all the way to the corner " and "Not to worry, stop, get the coffees, I will definitely not be inside when you get here. But get here."
"I love voting in an elementary school. I think all schools have the same smell."
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6:34
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Just inside the door. I tell the man posted there that I am in Precinct 71. He wants to see the orange-red notice that is sent out that confirms that, or I have to stand in another line for someone to look it up. "Let me see if I have this right. I know my voting precinct but you want me to wait in that line until someone tells me what I already know."
"Please." he says.
I wait in the line.
I get to the table.
"What address?" says the nice lady.
I tell her and then say "that's #71."
"If you knew you didn't have to wait here"
"Mention that to that very official person over there." and I give him a big wave and a smile.
I go to 71, there is no line. That's good because now I am late. I sign the book. I go to the booth, pull the curtain and change history.
In New York City, we still are using voting machines from the 1960's. You pull a big handle over to "the voting position" reach up and twist these little toggles next to each name. Click click click click click then you pull the handle back, cra-clunk! There is a nice physical feel to the process.
Out I go into the crisp day, I jog over to the subway and then remember that I wanted to see how long the line was by then. People are going to be late for work. Good. The country should stop on election day, shouldn't it?
They weren't handing out any "I voted" stickers, that was disappointing, I would have liked one. I would even have like to have my finger dipped in ink, a deep Democratic Blue would have perferred, but Purple would be really fine.
Purple, that's the color you get when you combine Red and Blue.
Joe(It's the real color.)Nation
2 comments:
Joe,
I think we could all change history by wearing the color purple every day. Maybe that would be the impetus we need to convince the folks vigorously active in the political parties that we are only going along with them when they are giving and sharing ideas FOR something, rather than when they are AGAINST something or somebody. If we only counted positive votes, then wouldn't that change the nature of our democracy?
There are some people who will be forever a'giners. It's not in their nature to be FOR anything. They would be, and are, stumped when asked what they are for or they fall back onto the list of platitudes and catch phrases handed out to persons who have so little understanding of the current times that "Drill, baby, drill" appears to them to be both positive and a fully operational energy policy.
J
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