I loaded the refuse in the Glory Van, and led Mr. Nick the Wonder Dog to his dedicated bench seat, in preparation for my weekly run to the Waste Disposal Center. I have acquired several new bumper stickers since my last reported encounter with the tobacco chewing locals, and was looking forward to this encounter, poll numbers being what they are.
I now have 3 Obama stickers, 2 Tom Perriello stickers, and 2 that are most assuredly anti-McCain. I was stoking up for a lady like, southern "exchange", and raring to go.
Even Mr. Nick was a little wired, reacting to my anticipation, I suppose.
Well! Imagine my surprise.
My favorite tobacco spitter arose from his plastic lawn chair as I pulled in.
"How Ya' doin', today?", he asked politely while eyeing the anti-McCain sticker on the tail gate.
"Doin' well", I responded in the local vernacular. "How are you guys?"
"Heard that Ba'rack guy on the TV just now", he said, getting straight to the point.
"His speech on the economy?", I asked. "What did ya' think?"
"He made some sense", he allowed, "but, what about that Muslim thing?"
"Aw, Ray, you're not still buying that load the Republicans are selling, are you?" I asked.
"Well, I keep hearin' he's a Muslim", he insisted.
There was a general alertness among the Guys at the Dump. They were giving this exchange their undivided attention, and I suspected that Ray had been chosen to make this foray into information gathering. I detected a crack in the facade!
"Ray", I said, "these guys have been lying to you for 30 years! They told you Democrats would take away your guns. It didn't happen. They told you they would outlaw abortion. It didn't happen. They told you we would all get rich if we just let them handle all the money. It didn't happen. They busted the budget, started a war on a lie, and now they have destroyed the jobs and credit of everyone in this country. How long you gonna' keep believin' 'em?"
"Senator Obama is a good, Christian, family man. He was born in the United States, and raised by his grandma' from KANSAS. You gotta stop listening to those guys over at FOX news. You gotta' stop listening to Rush. They are lying, too."
I turned to the crowd that had gathered, all reaching for bits and pieces of trash as an excuse, and said, "If you guys want things to get any better, you better stop worrying about the lie Republicans tell, and the silly issue of what color someone is, and vote for your own interests for a change."
"Well", Ray acknowledged, "he made some sense."
And the others nodded, in unison.
Knowing my work there was done (for now - I will have to make at least two follow-ups before election day) I got in the Glory Van and started the engine. Ray came to the drivers side window and said, "You have a Good Day now, Doc. Ya' Hear?"
I was shaking as I drove away, trying to control my desire to whoop and holler.
Update: Thanks to amanuensis we have located the first diary I wrote on this topic. You can read it here.