It will make you feel big and strong."
~Bob Schieffer's mother
Time: 6:00 AM New York Time
Place: My neighborhood polling station
There
was a long line out the school gym and into the halls. Everyone there
looked a little surprised. We all thought we'd beat the lines by being
there when the polls opened. Excitement spiced the air like the Tim
Horton's donuts on the volunteers' coffee table.
Speaking
of the volunteers, God bless them. Finally my turn came to give my name
to sign off the registration book before going into the booth. The
little old lady with the book said, "You're not in the book." My throat
tightened, the air left my lungs. After flipping the pages a bit, the
little old lady stopped looking and closed the book. In shock, I kept
spelling a-l-e-t-t-a to no one in particular. The people in the line were getting restless. My neighbor,
Marcia, a volunteer, stepped up.
"She has to be in there. A-l-e-t-t-a."
"OOOH! A-EL-e-t-t-a. She said a-e-t-t-a! Here she is!"
My right hand really wanted to give her a good bitch slap but I resisted.
As Marcia escorted me to the booth, she mumbled, "I hope that's the worse that happens today."
Yeah, me too.
