Obama Supporters Make Me Laugh

It's Tuesday, election day and the rain has slowed to a light mist, often interrupted by warm sunlight and lifting clouds.

Because of the weather and the fact that it's lunch time, I'm standing at my neighborhood polling place practically alone, least the lone republican. Standing with me are a very nice retired couple who are Democratic Party volunteers.

We have chatted for over an hour between voters who arrive and depart at a pretty steady pace. The two seniors are dressed for northern weather, hats, gloves, long winter coats. They both wear a small white sign around their necks that asks "Any Questions?" and colorful Obama 08 buttons.

I come to learn that they are from, as I expected "up north" Baltimore in fact.

"Baltimore is nice, I went to an Orioles game there once", I tell them.

They both notice my Republican National Committee lapel pin, that is affixed to my navy blue blazer. It's November and the Carolina's are about 20 degrees warmer than Baltimore this time of year, in fact had the sun had stayed out, I would have left the coat in the car.

We are talking about the voter turn out and the effect of early voting, when a white van comes up the road and stops at the curb, only a few feet from where we are standing. A young man jumps out of the passenger side and asks "how many volunteers do we have here?" Before I can answer, he looks at my lapel pin and says "Democratic Party volunteers?"

I point to my two Senior Friends.

Then he smiles an offers, "well, I've got lunch for you two!"

I've got to hand it to the Mecklenburg county Democratic Party, they served lunch to 192 precincts, so I'd guess more than 400 volunteers on election day.

But when the man handed the styrofoam box to my two senior friends, I about spit my coffee across the parking lot in laughter.

The expression on their faces was priceless, and to myself all I could mutter was bless their chicken loving hearts.



Yes, the box lunch was fried chicken, french fries and hush puppies. If they saw the humor or ironic comedy of the moment, I don't know.

But I'm still laughing.