Who took my leaves?
Really, while I was in NY, who took my leaves?
I can't believe it. Someone took them and they didn't leave even a note to tell me. The things people don't tell you.
For example, I was in the voting booth Tuesday night in Vineyard Haven, Mass., and no one had told me that I couldn't go to vote with my blustery dog in tow. No one had told me I shouldn't ever go to the polls with masses of ignorance leading me to the open area where I was to draw those first grade perfect lines between the candidate and the Party that he or she is representing.
I hadn't been prepared for no one telling me what to do.
Usually I have managers and agents, mothers and politicos, newspapers and governesses telling me, "don't forget to vote today," followed by corner-group discussions evaluating the details of what would appear on the ballot.
I hadn't been a part of one of these discussions and without warning, after Christmas shopping in town for three hours, my dear friend, Tamara W. said, "I'm going to vote on my way home, but I'm so tired."
"YOU'RE tired?????? What about me? I've just spent more than I can afford to spend, and I am exhausted and I had no idea it was election day." I had returned to the Vineyard in time to see a few signs along my country road, most of them spelling out the name of the President of Afghanistan. I didn't question it. I thought it was the same strangeness behind the force that took my leaves. Karzai was going to live on that piece of land that the sign was stuck into the ground upon. Not to worry. Back to trying to find the classical music station on the radio.
"You have to vote for Khazei," said my friend emphatically. Yes, certainly, she had it wrong too. I told her he was the President of Afghanistan and she just laughed. I told her he was going to live on my road and she and I both laughed. Laughed, but she didn't tell me I was wrong and that it wasn't Karzai, it was Alan Khazei, from Massachusetts. He was a politician who was running for the seat that Kennedy had unwittingly vacated when he died. She just assumed I was kidding. I was sure SHE was having me on.
Of course Karzai was running and now I knew for certain. Why not? (Only now do I remember the Martha Coakley signs. Real Estate agent?) But all these signs were not enough to bring me down to Earth from the tiny little space in my brain that was so challenged by the tiny little details of my overly detailed life. Who took my leaves?
The trees are nearly denuded.
So, with another friend, Judy B., who stood right next to me and talked me through a series of mind boggling local fire station issues in our town, I voted. She also reassured me when I questioned her, that of course we were voting for the President of Afghanistan! Judy B. has never not had a sense of humor and a general preference for the ridiculous. It was inspiring!
I read in the paper today that Martha Coakley won. That's good. That would have been fine all along. Either would have been fine, what with the cards I was playing with... and still worrying over the leaves.