One more teensy election day note. I began election day by blasting "Signed Sealed and Delivered" by Stevie Wonder. This song was played at every Obama rally and at the Democratic convention and playing it on the morning we all went to vote seemed like a good idea to bring good luck. I may play it every day that someone needs some good luck -apparently it works. Send your "Signed Sealed and Delivered"needs to me and I will play it in your honor- it will bring you good fortune and might even get you elected to something. After the ceremonial Stevie Wonder fix, my daughters and I went to cast their first presidential ballot and my ninth. This was the first one that felt really really good. 

  Then it was off to Democratic Headquarters to oversee a phone bank. Lots of people came in to make incredibly annoying (I am sure) calls to remind people of the location  of their polling place,  to give them a number to call if they had any concerns or needed a ride to the polls.. blah blah blah... I made calls as well once everyone was settled. Only one person told me to "tell that Barack Obama to kiss my ass". I told that guy I would probably not be able to convey that message but that I appreciated his input( oh so very much).

     After a couple of hours of calls we all took a short break and chatted with with an eighty- six year old woman who was volunteering. She had the most beautiful accent. She told us that she was a French "war bride" and told us powerful stories of what it was like to live in occupied France during World War II . She said she was supporting Obama because she didn't think he would take the nation to war without a "damned good reason". I could have listened to her stories all day long. Towards the end of the day an African American teenager came into make calls with us. She sat next to the eighty six year old "war bride". I looked at them sitting there together making those calls and had to pretend that I had gotten something in my eye. I was teary all the way home.

    At home a few friends gathered at my house to drink champagne. My pal Lois and I started toasting every state Obama won, starting with Vermont. This turned out to be not such a great idea. I don't normally drink and by Ohio( Ohio ! He frakkin' won Ohio!) I was pretty wasted.  I proceeded to drink coffee and eat a lot so that I wouldn't pass out when the polls closed on the West Coast. I didn't. Instead I resumed the weeping that had started when I watched those two women from incredibly different backgrounds sit next to each other at the Democratic headquarters phone bank making calls to encourage people to vote for the tall guy. It was a good day.