Sen. Barack Obama has risen to the top of the political world on a wave of enthusiasm generated by his vision of a new politics that, rather than dividing people into subgroups and political identities, brings them together to focus on complicated issues and work towards sensible, effective solutions. Well his pledge to bring people together extends, thankfully, well beyond politics.
Firstly, a little context. In December of last year I moved back home to Harrisburg, PA from State College (the town born of the infrastructural needs of a major public university). The events that precipitated this move were many but an explosive end to a disastrous (and brief) relationship played no small part. The girl I broke up with - and left town because of - threw out some serious (and untrue) accusations and legal fees and probationary costs became a friendly parting gift I'm still making great use of. It goes without saying that the first two months of 2008 were not the happiest time in my life.
I tried as hard as I could to not let the difficulties and injustices of my situation bother me, I found it nearly impossible to shake depression in my quiet moments. I drank a lot, and struggled to find a positive outlet for my negative emotions. I've played drums since the 5th grade (13 years now) and am a dues-paying member in the Blues Society of Central Pennsylvania. I went to their weekly jam nights on Thursdays but that only went so far (and the fact that it was at a bar didn't help the drinking). So I looked for a way to get active with the Obama campaign and signed up to volunteer the day after the primaries in Texas and Ohio. There I learned of a contingent of Obama volunteers slated to march in Harrisburg's St. Patrick's Day Parade on the Sunday before St. Patty's.
I came dressed in green, all alone but - as always - fired up and ready to go. Buttons and window signs abounded and everyone was excited about marching for O'Bama (if you saw those signs, I loved them). I looked around while we waited in the staging area for someone to talk to but everyone already had their cliques. I really wanted a cigarette but couldn't see anyone else smoking. Then I saw a girl in a black Obama shirt lighting up and shuffled over so I wouldn't look like an idiot smoking in what appeared to be a smoke-free group. Her name was Alicia and I thought, if nothing else, we were both cigarette-smoking Obama supports so we could get along on those fronts at least. We marched together with he mother did the usual stranger question-and-answer. After the parade I had to go to work so I took off without getting her number.
Almost two weeks later, on the 30th of March, Sen. Obama came to Harrisburg for a town hall meeting at The Forum. Tickets were made available at 9 am the day before, a Saturday, so I got to the downtown office at 7:30, when the line was only a half block long. Alicia lined up not far behind me and I saw her after I got my ticket and we each congratulated each other for getting one. Once again, though, I had to go to work, so off I went again without a phone number.
The town hall meeting was spectacular. I showed up 4 hours before the doors opened and my patience was rewarded with a seat on stage behind the Senator. Sen. Bob Casey introduced him and I got plenty of pictures and shook Barack's hand. On the way out I heard someone calling my name and turned to see a smiling Alicia jumping up and down as she ran towards me. Obviously she was just as excited as I was that we got to see our newest political hero in person. She was wearing a pair of jeans with pro-Obama slogans and quotes from the Senator written all over them. "This girl just keeps getting better," I thought. We went to a nearby bar for a beer and ended up talking for over an hour. When we left and said goodbye I did finally get her number, although she's the one that had to ask (I've never been particularly assertive around women).
Our first date was a week later. We went to a Harrisburg Senators baseball game and then to a restaurant downtown for lunch. For over 6 hours we never once ran out of anything to say and haven't ever since. It's only been three and a half months but I've never been so happy. We get along great, I love her family, she loves mine and for the first time in my dating life I'm not thinking about how and when this relationship is going to end. It might just be that I've found the "one" we're always told to look for. And it never would have happened if Barack Obama hadn't decided to run. Or if he hadn't had any success in the early primaries. So thank you Sen. Obama, if I didn't have enough reasons to vote for, the best yet just walked in the door.