The monday night before the election it was raining in Cleveland.
I was assigned to Newburgh Heights, just outside of the city. I was wearing a yellow transparent poncho, carrying door knocking lit and a clipboard. Hours ago most would have described me as drenched. I struggled to keep my clipboard and literature dry, while attempting to navigate my way around neighborhoods I had never seen.
Step by step, blisters stung my feet. Since noon I had been avoiding tending to them, knowing that being diabetic, once I removed my shoes, I would not be able to continue. Ignorance was bliss.
Lightning strikes were close by. It was 7pm, so it was dark. I arrived at the first address on what would be the last piece of turf I was assigned on that day. I had been out on the streets since 7am ... going door to door asking for votes.
Dinner was at 8 ... and I had lukewarm pasta waiting for me back at the Union Hall.
4661.
All I had to do was hang a piece of lit on the doorknob.
I had been doing this all day long. The idea was to blanket info, not engage with the voter. I had done several hundred homes already. The house was dark. All the lights were out. No street lights. The door was on the side of the house, so I started down the path.
Drop the lit and move.
Suddenly, a window opened. "WHAT YOU WANT?!" yelled a woman from inside.
Gulp.
"I'm from the Obama Campaign. Senator Obama just wanted me to stop by to remind you to vote tomorrow," I said meekly, remembering being threatened and spit at in a Republican suburb earlier that day.
One grows weary and apprehensive after a while ...
"I'm comin' to the door!" the woman bellowed.
I stood at the door, waiting for it to open -- not knowing what to expect, and was greeted by a large, grandmotherly, African-American woman.
I handed her my door knocker -- "Will you be supporting the Senator tomorrow?" I asked, clearly faking my perkiness as the mascara ran down my face.
"A little white girl is at my door -- in the dark -- in the rain, asking me if I'm going to vote for BARACK OBAMA?!???," she said with a laugh.
"Come give me a hug sweetheart ... oh GOD BLESS YOU. Thank you honey. Praise GOD! Now I know we are going to WIN!" she said.
"I voted two weeks ago, honey. Do you need a drink? Can I get you a snack?"
And suddenly I forgot about the guy who pulled a gun on my partner and I earlier that day ... I forgot about the police who had followed and harassed us all day long. I forgot about the half-dollar sized blisters on my feet and the ache in my heart -- missing my 11 month old son who was so very far away from his Mommy.
I hugged her hard -- my fashionable poncho saturating her housecoat.
"No, thank you ma'am. I have to try to get to all your neighbors. But please remind your friends and family to vote." I said. "Cuyahoga County could decide the next President. We lost by 9 votes per precinct in 2004."
"I will baby. I will make sure we get every vote on this street."
We won Cleveland by 70/30 and carried the state of Ohio -- by only 4 points.
Yes we did.