Yesterday Barb and I stopped and voted on an important local referendum before heading to the hospital for my daily radiation treatments.
By state law our local school district could not pass plans for a $112 million loan based on plans for large tax expansions without putting it to a public vote.
The school district seriously needs expansion. There are several trailers behind the high school serving as classrooms, and the elementary schools are reportedly crowded. No one disagrees with this fact.
It was just the new astroturf athletic field and dozens of other luxuries that turned the public off. Of course, the idea of huge tax increases every year for the next six-years in already shaky economic times did not go over well either. This especially after the district raised taxes 19-percent last year. I mean 19-percent? What goes up 19-percent?
The school district's plans failed miserably we learned from the morning news. The vote wasn't even close. It's back to the drawing board.
As Barb and I pulled up in the yellow FJ yesterday to vote, I saw the pollsters surrounding the voting locale. There were about a dozen or so people who wanted to persuade you, hand you a flyer, get your support.
I have a special face for these types of situations. I just wanted to quietly vote. I didn't want to get into any discussions about this or that. I broke out the scarey face. It works every time. The pollsters parted and quietly let me walk through, Barb quickly behind in my shadow.
I presented my voter's registeration card to an elderly, gray-haired lady.
She looked at my card closely and then read my name out loud, "Jim Albert."
She looked at me and said, "This is the fellow I pray for every night."
I swallowed my tongue for a moment. I looked at her closely. Nope, I had no idea who this lady was.
"How 'ya doing?" she asked.
I stumbled through some lines, "Still fighting it. Not too bad. Hanging in there." I get asked that a lot.
It wasn't until I had voted, made some more small talk, and left until Barb filled me in on who I was talking to. The lady is involved with the local restoration group, which Barb and I were once involved in too. She knew me and my situation through Barb.
It amazes me. To have someone I don't really even know, praying for me, pulling for me. And it's hardly the first time it's happened.
It really touches a special place in my heart.
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2 comments:
Hello Jim and Barb, Glad to hear things are going okay. I read this quote a few winters ago (can't recall who wrote it) and I love to re-read it come 1 January..."Happy New Year! On the morning of New Years Day, we awoke in New England to a fresh new 4 inch blanket of snow. Pure and Still. A marvelous welcome to the New Year, and for me a reminder that there is no place like home. Now with the stress of the holidays behind us, more and more we seek the security of home. Time to go within now and learn from the Bear the value of retreat and reflection. Light the hearth. Sit back. Restore yourself. There is time. There is room. There is permission." Stay warm, Jane Putnam
I always thought bears had it right by hibernating through the winter.
Sorry I haven't called you guys yet. I haven't forgotten about speaking with Peter about a site.
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