Just got back from voting

[xiphias]

The only contested race in my district was for Alderman -- the person who represents your actual neighborhood in the City board.

I hadn't really figured out who I wanted to vote for for Alderman. But, as both candidates were standing right there, holding signs, I was able to go up to them and say, "Hey, I'm an undecided voter. Convince me to vote for you."

And one of them did. So I voted for him.

The polling place is in one of the senior housing complexes, right by the train tracks. As usual, a bunch of the residents were having a bake sale, so I bought a piece of cornbread (which actually was pretty bad, and I ended up throwing it out) and putting a dollar down on a raffle. On my way out, there was a gentleman sitting there named Arthur, and we happened to start talking. He's lived in Melrose for, like, eighty some odd years, is now living with his girlfriend in senior housing. Sixteen years in the Army; got out not that long after his father did -- his father was career, did 42 years in the service, retired at 65, and died of absolutely nothing three months after retirement. Arthur decided that HE wasn't going to do that, finished up his current term, and went to culinary school.

We chatted for probably close to half an hour, until I finally said that I had a week's worth of things to do before my wife came home tonight. He laughed and said that I was really in deep shit, then, and we shook hands and I came home and procrastinated further by posting this entry.

Comments

[rebmommy.livejournal.com]

so what did hesay to convince you?

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Well, I asked about what each of them saw as the problems facing the town, and what each of them thought they could do to help ameliorate those problems. Obviously, they can't solve EVERYTHING, but the one who came up with better answers that made me feel that he really was trying to think about what could be done, that's who I voted for.