Decision 2006

I hopped out of the car, a goodly amount of annoyance already clouding my mind. There was a grip of people standing in line, waiting to pass through the metal detector and vote. Metal detector? Really?
Something told me not everyone was here to vote, but the reason alludes me now. Probably just skepticism on my part, or maybe the fact that when I went to lose my voting virginity there in 2004 it was almost exactly the same time and I only had about two people ahead of me.
The guy in front of me had a puffy jacket on, with fur trim on the hood, so I thought I'd talk to him. I opened my mouth to speak and he waved me off "I'm not here to vote, I'm just waiting in line with my girlfriend". Great, I thought, Jigglypuff thinks I'm using my rights as an American citizen to pick up dudes. Had this been jury duty, he wouldn't have been wrong.
Girlfriend peeked her head out from behind his puffiness and waved. She had a crazed look in her eye, the kind Martha Stewart got that day that she taught us how to dress babies as Thanksgiving foods.
"I love voting!" she proclaimed "It's just like, the most important thing you could ever do!". Someone behind us gave a mocking "woot" and someone in front of us let out a long, drawn out sincere one. I gave a golf clap and halfway smiled back at her as she jumped up and down, apparently encouraged by the outburst.
Not one to leave well enough alone, I turned my attention back to her boyfriend.
"Not registered to vote eh?" I asked, only somewhat interested in his answer.
"Just don't wanna."
"Oh, well...there it is."
Girlfriend let the Mozart laugh fly out of her mouth unashamedly. I knew there was a reason why I sort of liked her.
Puffy turned to her and made a shushing sound, like it would have stopped her. It didn't. She continued snorting and chortling and nudging the people around her throughout the entire encounter. I hope she knew them.
"Look," he began, redfaced "I just don't vote ok. There's no point."
"What makes you think that?"
"I'm not in college, so my vote doesn't count. Everyone knows that!"
Unsure whether or not he meant the Electoral College or college in general I decided not to press that issue.
I turned to speak to the slightly less cantankerous person behind me, but before I could say anything Puffy tapped me on the shoulder.
"...and besides that, I don't think it's cool that you have to pick sides. You know, Republican or Democrat."
"You could always vote issue by issue. And since this is like a midterm election, that's really what you'll be doing more of. I mean, aside from voting for members of Congress and state legislatures and stuff like that."
"Still, not cool that they make you choose. What if you don't fit in as a Republican or Democrat?"
I was really starting to think he was screwing with my mind.
I blinked. "You do know that there are other parties right? Independent, Green, Libertarian..." he didn't stop me, so I continued "America First, Socialist, Peace and Freedom, American Nazi, Labor, Light, Natural Law..."
"Alright Gonzo Politicker, I get the point" he grumbled, shrugging me off for a second time.

I wonder if he'll register and vote next time...
I'm not counting on it.

At least he didn't run by yelling "only dweebs vote, Votey McDweeberson!" like someone did the first time I voted.
*sigh*
God Bless America, ya'll!