Kiss me, I voted

I decided to drag along the ailing children to let them see democracy in action before we exchanged free coupons for personal pan pizzas for lunch.

We headed to City Hall for early voting. My oldest was asking if he could take his Yugioh cards and his new Ninja High School book (which was personally autographed by Ben Dunn at the Dallas Comic Con Saturday) and a plethora of other toys to the event. He whined and moaned that he didn't want to go, couldn't he stay here, wouldn't he be spreading his germs, couldn't I go tomorrow, et al ... I explained to him that I'm going to vote a straight party ticket. I will walk in, give the old blue hair my voter registration card, sign a book and pick a ballot, use a marker to make one line and we're out of there.

He didn't believe me. As we're approaching City Hall, a sudden onset of urgent gotta go do my diarrhea thing hits him. Run, I tell him. Run to the door - follow the voting signs - and ask the lady at the reception desk for directions to the bathroom. So, we follow all the old folks and other early voters - there were dozens of them - to the city hall basement to vote. I've voted here many times before and NEVER had to wait in line, even on election day. It was invigorating to see so many people enthused about voting. I ran into a young lady I know while I was there, too.

The men's bathroom, fortunately, was right outside the voting area, so we were all where we needed to be. I explained to the children before we left the house NOT to be blabbing about who I was voting for, dissing the Democrabs or anything like that because that is called electioneering and is against the law. They seemed to listen and didn't do it while we were there. I explained to Child No. 2 about each step in the process as I did it. Child No. 1 was busy trying not to shit on himself throughout this civics lesson. He walks in about the time I'm walking to my voting carroll (how do you spell that word anyway?). I mark my straight party ticket and he is amazed. Wow! That was it? You're done? Yes, child. I told you it would take longer to walk up to City Hall from the parking lot than it would to vote. But, do you believe me? No ....