I am sharing my voting experience from yesterday. Those that know me, understand that this should be read with the cadence of a conversation with Forest Gump…
I voted yesterday in Ponte Vedra Beach. I showed up in person at the polling site. I know your thinking, is he crazy? What about the China Virus? He could contract the disease, or worse, give it to someone else.
Well, it turned out to be pretty traumatic. I had to wait in line on the little floor markers for what seemed like an eternity. The fumes from my breath trapped in my mask, were making me feel sick. It was the longest 90 seconds that I have endured since that time I waited for an elevator at Mayo.
When I finally got to the door, everyone was looking at me like “what’s he doing here?” Then this scary looking octogenarian barked at me to go to the desk and show my papers. I had to fumble through my wallet and find my government-issued-photo-identification-document. I said, “All I have is my driver’s license and my CWP. ” The lady said the driver’s license would be okay. I felt so violated. Now she knows where I live, and how old I am.
The ballot form required me to manually mark my selection for each office. It’s a good thing it was printed in English. I do not read Spanish or Arabic. I’m sweating by then, but I easily selected my friend Congressman John Rutherford, Tamara Renuart, and couple of Judges I knew. There were some other people there that I did not really know.
When I finished, the nice lady told me to put my ballot in the machine. I asked if it should be face up or down? She said it didn’t matter. Well, this bothered me, because I know how to operate a big copy machine, and it does matter. With a shredder it does not matter.
Well, when it was over and I left the building, I felt relieved. I also felt very proud that I had done my part and duty as a citizen of the United States of America. So many people touch-screen their way through life hating and complaining but not doing anything to make things better. My mama told me when I felt down, to get out of the house, and go do something worthwhile.
All in all, that voting thing, it only took two and one half minutes. I don’t know what all the fuss is about…..
As my friend Fitz Powell always says, ” Do the right Thing”
Ron Autrey
February 8th, 2020
