As I stood in line for early voting yesterday, a woman about my age was ahead of me. There were about 28 people in line ahead of me. I'd gotten there 30 minutes prior to the doors opening for the first day of early in-person voting. I found out that it was her first time doing early in-person voting, as was mine.
We began to talk. We were both amazed at the crowds that gathered in line behind us, with still 20 minutes to go before the doors opened.
She and I had a few things in common. Being of similar age, having two adult children and never wanting to retire. She was a marketing agent for a large Physical Therapy corporation. As normal, especially at such a dicey time as this, I was prudent with my conversation. Then I heard her say, "I'm scared." I remarked, "Join the club. Alot of us are. I'm praying and voting." She nodded, "Yep."
We agreed this wasn't normal. Yet, we were grateful for the availability of early in-person voting.
We discussed several areas of life. She'd been divorced after over 30 years of marriage. She told me that she knew walking down the aisle to get married that it probably wasn't going to work out. A 'Wow' moment for me indeed, we half-giggled upon her stating so. I remarked, "I was married to a great guy, who died just after our 36th wedding anniversary. But I'd never planned on getting married. For I knew not one happy woman in my family that'd been married. Too, I really just wanted to serve, be a US Marine and a NJ State Trooper. That was my dream."
She asked, "So, you had a great marriage?" I replied, "I think I did. Norm was a great guy."
So, here we stood in the acknowledgement that we were older single moms. Yet having different experiences and managing quite well in the jungle of animosity and angst. A jungle that to me, has always been present in the world. And that was where my husband and I didn't see eye to eye. As she said, "Yes, but you both were in agreement on ideologies." I nodded stating, "Yes".
For moments as the two of us waited quietly others chatted ahead and behind us; she let me know she'd overheard someone ahead of us was or had been in the Marines. My mind quickly jumped to; how or if they had been offended enough to let go of the patriarchal rule and vote for Harris/Walz. I hoped so.
I'd began to ponder how my conversation with my former superior in the Marines just the night before on the state of America and it's people. She'd used a word I'd not heard from someone in our generation use openly in practically decades towards people voting for Trump. It was so surprising to me then, that I nearly dropped the phone into the salad I'd just made for my dinner.
I dare not correct her, for I had and have tremendous respect for her. I realized she is just as pissed as I am at the people in support of a fascist, and an adjudicated rapist, never mind a convict. We'd commented to each other that night, that those Trump people are not looking past their noses. Instead of them thinking of what's best for our country. They're only considering what they think they are owed, and that no one else is worthy of what they think they're owed. Equality is beyond their purview. It's all about them, it's not about WE as a nation, or fairness.
I would understand this, for I've witnessed this narcissistic song and dance before, done by rapists I've known and bullies throughout my life.
Me, as a child being bullied, I remember this was how the adult and child bullies had acted when bullying me and others for a variety of their own unreasonable excuses to bully.
From an early age I've taught our daughters TANSTAAFL (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch.). As I had, they were not yet ten years old.
One morning I scowled that acronym and words from the kitchen to them at our dining room table. It was a morning before breakfast and before school. I so drilled it home, I plastered the acronym and words to follow, inside our oldest fourth grader's homework folder for her to view every day at school and home that entire school year. After that morning neither daughter ever thought they were owed. My words rang out, "You will always have to work hard to try and get what you want. It's TANSTAAFL All the way! That's life."
Yesterday morning, as we stood, conversations ebbed and flowed. The air was rife with angst. To the point, I wanted to spiritually dismantle many by stating, 'So how many of you have given service to America. Because if you haven't and you're voting for an adjudicated rapist and a fascist, I got news for you. You the ungrateful, don't know how many of those that served or are serving don't want a person in charge who is so filled with self-serving hatred aimed at most of us.' But I refrained.
These people that vote for Trump, many aren't even considering how many of us wrote a blank check for they that hadn't served.
After I post this, depending on how the vote goes I may be killed, so may my children. That is what is at stake. A person like me, apparently so insignificant; yet so threatening to the greedy, the treasonous, the lost, the narcissistic, the self-serving, the fascists that the truth I state here gets in their way. They'll feel it's their right to torture and get rid of me. What I wouldn't do for Democracy, for equality for all, yes even for immigrants, it's because I have a mighty moral compass and a heart of tremendous compassion. I know, because it's been told to me by others before from all sides of the aisles. ---Jody-Lynn Reicher
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