May the Best Son of a Bitch Win.
So, this morning, at the ass crack of dawn I was up and ready to get out there to do my civic duty.
I have read the papers, listened to debates, watched numerous speakers and read a ton of opinions to last me a life time so I was ready ready ready!
I get to the location set up to accept my vote, stood in line for 20 minutes. Listening to chatter about who's voting for who and why they won't vote for the other candidate. I flipped through the morning paper as I stood there as if I were waiting for my government cheese. While I stood there I read the opinions page, read the opinions of these people who felt it necessary to voice their opinion via my newspaper, making their mark in writing on who and why they feel should be our elected officials.
The line moved. I moved with it.
The line moved again, awfully quick like. I moved with it again.
I watched 3 people move out of the line.
I start to wonder what the deal was. I know it's been drilled into us this year to be prepared. "Have your driver's license!!!!" Infact a friend this morning went to get his driver's license re-newed just so it showed his current and correct address so he could vote without hassle. I stood there with my license in tow.
I overheard one elderly gentleman make mention of why Kerry seemed to be the least desired choice for President, he had his own points ready to throw out to anyone who would listen. Two ladies infront of me must have come together because both were complaining about being late for work if things didn't hurry up.
The line moved again.
I moved with the line.
Then I heard a lady at the front of the line get turned away. I put my paper down, looked up to listen to what was going on. It just so happens she lives quite near to me, so I really figured I should pay attention. But I couldn't hear anything other then "Go....blah blah blah blah....." said by a lady checking id's.
Now, let me point out, I knew where I needed to go to vote. It was not only in our local newspapers, it was on t.v. and printed on little fliers.
It was my turn to hand over my license. The lady looked at me and blurted out in her little frustration voice, "YOU DON'T VOTE HERE!!!!". I was shocked and a bit dumbfounded. I asked, "then, where am I to vote, if this isn't it?". She pulled the same flier that I had at home out from her pile of papers and pointed that, "anyone on this side of the street needs to go here, and anyone on this side of the line comes here". Ok, I knew what she was saying.....I looked at it again and pointed to the map, "But I live RIGHT here". In her frustration she gave me a big sigh that pretty much indicated I was stupid for not knowing where I lived. So I made it clear to her and to myself, that I was infact in the wrong location, and that some old hag was the ruler of my voting. Ok, I said, I apologized for taking her time and thanking her for pointing me in the right direction. So, off I go, having been told I could not vote. Back into my vehicle I went and headed off to the location she was quite sure I needed to be.
Almost identical to my first location, a 20 minute wait, people complaining, the chatter of opinions. But instead of waiting that whole time I found the big map on the wall....looking closely for 12th Street NW. Seeing the orange line that separated the one location from the other. Hmmmmmm....I pondered this for a second and stepped out of line. Asking a friendly guy exactly what the border was for my location. He said that I was in the wrong place. Ahhh...I said. (how did I know this was going to happen??) So, with a smile I ask, "where would be a good place to go to make this vote happen?" He told me that my first location was correct. Uh huh...I say. So, instead of walking away without further info, I asked if he could make a fine line on one of those fliers with that map, which he was very happy to do.
I went back to my original location. I found the same lady that was at the table earlier now shoving a cookie in her mouth, and pardoned myself for the interruption. And I showed her the map I had received on my impromptu scavenger hunt and asked again, is this where I can cast my vote? She humphed at me and looked at her map again, this time she told me I should have pointed to the exact block on the map to indicate where I lived. Now, those that know me, know I am a fairly nice person, until provoked by some else's stupidity. I leaned over the table and pointed out that she was holding my driver's license in her very old and very wrinkled hand, my address being very well articulated in black letters at the top of that little plastic card should have been enough to prove where I lived without me playing "Pin The Home On The Map".
She humphed at me one more time as I went to place my vote, and as I walked away, I stopped by her and thanked her for allowing me the RIGHT and the OPPORTUNITY as an American citizen to vote for our next President. And with a genuine smile she said "Oh hon, you're welcome!"
I really really really hate when my sarcasm is thwarted by someone else's stupidity.
So, now I sit here wondering if I voted for the lessor of the two evils.
I have read the papers, listened to debates, watched numerous speakers and read a ton of opinions to last me a life time so I was ready ready ready!
I get to the location set up to accept my vote, stood in line for 20 minutes. Listening to chatter about who's voting for who and why they won't vote for the other candidate. I flipped through the morning paper as I stood there as if I were waiting for my government cheese. While I stood there I read the opinions page, read the opinions of these people who felt it necessary to voice their opinion via my newspaper, making their mark in writing on who and why they feel should be our elected officials.
The line moved. I moved with it.
The line moved again, awfully quick like. I moved with it again.
I watched 3 people move out of the line.
I start to wonder what the deal was. I know it's been drilled into us this year to be prepared. "Have your driver's license!!!!" Infact a friend this morning went to get his driver's license re-newed just so it showed his current and correct address so he could vote without hassle. I stood there with my license in tow.
I overheard one elderly gentleman make mention of why Kerry seemed to be the least desired choice for President, he had his own points ready to throw out to anyone who would listen. Two ladies infront of me must have come together because both were complaining about being late for work if things didn't hurry up.
The line moved again.
I moved with the line.
Then I heard a lady at the front of the line get turned away. I put my paper down, looked up to listen to what was going on. It just so happens she lives quite near to me, so I really figured I should pay attention. But I couldn't hear anything other then "Go....blah blah blah blah....." said by a lady checking id's.
Now, let me point out, I knew where I needed to go to vote. It was not only in our local newspapers, it was on t.v. and printed on little fliers.
It was my turn to hand over my license. The lady looked at me and blurted out in her little frustration voice, "YOU DON'T VOTE HERE!!!!". I was shocked and a bit dumbfounded. I asked, "then, where am I to vote, if this isn't it?". She pulled the same flier that I had at home out from her pile of papers and pointed that, "anyone on this side of the street needs to go here, and anyone on this side of the line comes here". Ok, I knew what she was saying.....I looked at it again and pointed to the map, "But I live RIGHT here". In her frustration she gave me a big sigh that pretty much indicated I was stupid for not knowing where I lived. So I made it clear to her and to myself, that I was infact in the wrong location, and that some old hag was the ruler of my voting. Ok, I said, I apologized for taking her time and thanking her for pointing me in the right direction. So, off I go, having been told I could not vote. Back into my vehicle I went and headed off to the location she was quite sure I needed to be.
Almost identical to my first location, a 20 minute wait, people complaining, the chatter of opinions. But instead of waiting that whole time I found the big map on the wall....looking closely for 12th Street NW. Seeing the orange line that separated the one location from the other. Hmmmmmm....I pondered this for a second and stepped out of line. Asking a friendly guy exactly what the border was for my location. He said that I was in the wrong place. Ahhh...I said. (how did I know this was going to happen??) So, with a smile I ask, "where would be a good place to go to make this vote happen?" He told me that my first location was correct. Uh huh...I say. So, instead of walking away without further info, I asked if he could make a fine line on one of those fliers with that map, which he was very happy to do.
I went back to my original location. I found the same lady that was at the table earlier now shoving a cookie in her mouth, and pardoned myself for the interruption. And I showed her the map I had received on my impromptu scavenger hunt and asked again, is this where I can cast my vote? She humphed at me and looked at her map again, this time she told me I should have pointed to the exact block on the map to indicate where I lived. Now, those that know me, know I am a fairly nice person, until provoked by some else's stupidity. I leaned over the table and pointed out that she was holding my driver's license in her very old and very wrinkled hand, my address being very well articulated in black letters at the top of that little plastic card should have been enough to prove where I lived without me playing "Pin The Home On The Map".
She humphed at me one more time as I went to place my vote, and as I walked away, I stopped by her and thanked her for allowing me the RIGHT and the OPPORTUNITY as an American citizen to vote for our next President. And with a genuine smile she said "Oh hon, you're welcome!"
I really really really hate when my sarcasm is thwarted by someone else's stupidity.
So, now I sit here wondering if I voted for the lessor of the two evils.