My 2020 Voting Story "The Mind makes a Promise that the Body can Fill"
This is the Year of the Vote I guess. The biggest year of Voting I've lived thru and I've turned a few corners and the act of voting is front and center this year and do I have to also say it: what a year? I guess I do want to say that b/c this year has been revealing, reflective and I daresay processed differently by different people. So "what a year" I'll say and you stamp it with your experience for a personalized result!
I'm driving on a chilly, damp 50 degree, very misty-just- short -of- rainy day. Work, 2 short appointments. Now to the drop off location for my family's absentee ballots. I've got precious 3 in my possession. Paperwork is sparse saying: drop box will be located behind the Bd of Elections Bldg, giving said address. From what I've seen online/TV, all around the election facilities - drop off, and early in person and Covid etc - the process is rather more crowded and taking up more space than in past years. So I know I may have to pivot if I don't want to spend an inordinate amount of time attempting to vote. Altho I am prepared to.
Waze takes me in her efficient, occasionally annoying, way. Highway, moving well. Carnegie, not bad. Heading North to Euclid the slower pace syncs with my wipers pace as the mist becomes drizzle and I'm checking out a wet, Impressionistic view, my windshield and the rain softening the streets of the CLE and my hynie heater warming my posterior fuzzing the view from my interior. Sitting at a light now, a tableau sets up on the sidewalk to my right: an old man, leaning against the stone of a church. His t shirt, what I can see under his coat, is anti Trump (Pence too?). With purpose he sets off but first he has to make some involuntary steps to get going. This is a ballet move, his right foot moving ahead on the pavement and then back in 3 or 4 times before he can propel forward bringing his cane into the process. I see his wife/woman/IDK a few steps behind. She's being careful to give this man his room, some dignity. But she's right behind him. He gets going but not for long and I soon see this is the sequence: involuntary tendu, some forward progress, rest, repeat. She stepped in once. This is what making an effort to vote looks like. Thick misty rain, body that doesn't want to cooperate. Voter Man moving forward from doing his duty.
I move slowly away as they continue slowly South and I directly North now noticing the large yellow and white flashing traffic sign: Stay Right to Drop Off Ballot. This is looking promising. Signage. Organization. Yay! Yes, it's a bit slow with the rain and uncertain drivers, all understandable. I am chill, my car is moving, I'm in the right lane and my seat heat is on. Is the radio? I can't remember.
Good work by the Board, this drop off is all right lane, thru the makeshift drop off area in a handy parking lot and then right turn only out. As I pass to the white plastic overhead tent shielding our votes in boxes I lower my window "Hey" I smile to the man in a reflective vest "Can I trust you?"
"Well" he says "only if you don't wanna get wet!"
"No, for sure. Thanks so much, this was not bad at all" The handoff. We share a smile and I wave, slowly cruise and smile at the next guy too for good measure, thanking him.
All right, duty done, I voted! Right turn only out the lot and I'm heading for home. Would have normally taken a left out of that lot but no complaints. Right down Prospect to 90. On the right just ahead I glimpse Voter Man making the end of an effort to get into the back seat of a car. I can't see much else and 10 seconds later, I wouldn't have seen a thing. Right turns, I've been making only right turns. Thank You Voter Man. Didn't think I'd be thanking anything right this year. lol. And that was my loop around downtown in year like no other when I made a scenic drive and so many of us made the effort, visible, whatever that means, to participate.
