I Voted

I specifically requested today off of work so I could go vote. I didn't want to find out at the last minute that I had to work a twelve hour shift and miss out on voting in this election. People died for my right to vote, women were locked in jail and force fed food so I could vote. The least I could do is show up and participate in democracy.

When I got to my polling place the line to vote stretched out the door of the retirement home, down the street and curled around the block. I had some what anticipated a wait and had brought my ipod, book, and good standing around shoes. I lost my self in the music and the world of my book for about one hour. When I looked up I was at least on the same street as the polling place was being handed a free hot chocolate from Starbucks. The woman behind me with her two kids was trying to entertain them and control them at the same time looked a bit frazzled.

"Jimmy, do you want the hot chocolate the nice lady is giving to you?" She asked.

Jimmy did not want the hot chocolate. Jimmy didn't want to be in line and most of all, Jimmy did not want to be standing around a busy street with his sister and his mom. The 4 year old was done. He started to scream.

"I hate hot chocolate! I hate stupid girls! I hate stupid boys!" Up to this point everyone wrote Jimmy off as a frustrated kid standing in line on a beautiful day when he would rather be playing. We all simpathized until he shouted "I hate black people!"

Wow. His mom looked down at him with a disapproving look and asked him why he would say such a thing. She looked around embarrassed at the people around her in line that were now staring at her son with a disgust in their eyes.

Jimmy answered that he didn't know why he said it and she put him on time out staring at the brick building we were slowing filing into to cast our ballots.

His sister assured us that her mom was voting for Obama. Awkward!