MISS MADDIE (AN ELECTION DAY STORY)

[Bullwinkle925]

Today was the first day of early voting in Texas. DeposeTheBoyKing and myself are *poll-greeter* volunteers.
We settled into our designated space and began to greet voters and answer any questions they had regarding the ballot.
After an hour or so, we noticed an elderly black woman making her way very slowly toward us. When she reached our
table, she asked if she might sit and rest a bit before walking the rest of the way to the polling place.

She seemed very frail and as we had her seated we told her that we would get the election judges to come out, verify
that she is on the voting rolls and she could vote right where she was sitting.

DTBK went into the building to start the process. I sat next to the lady and she told me her name was Maddie and she
is 80 years old. Her eyes welled up when she told me that this is her first national election that she won't be
voting with her husband as he passed away 2 years ago. We held hands as I told her that I am in her shoes as well as
this will be my first national election where I will be walking alone to vote without my sweet Larry beside me.

Maddie made such an effort to get out to vote - she even drove herself which did frighten me when I heard that. She
had recently undergone shoulder surgery and had her pacemaker replaced. Talk about one strong woman!!

DTBK and the judges came out to verify her name on the rolls and had Maddie sign her forms and then they placed a
voting screen down on our table to vote. DTBK and I held up our jackets, making a makeshift voting booth for Maddie
in order to give her privacy and keep the screen visible for her.

All at once I had such a profound sense of viewing history being made. Miss Maddie at the age of 80 years was able
to cast her vote for the first African-American candidate for President of the United States. I was thinking of all
the changes this country has gone through in the past 80 years and how it must have affected Maddie. I really felt
honored to witness this event.

Maddie cherishes her right to vote. Maddie told me what a privilege it is!

As she finished voting and the judges took the voting machine away, Maddie slowly got up from her chair and told
DeposeTheBoyKing and myself that she wanted a hug. I only wish I had a photo of the three of us there, in the lawn
across the driveway from the polling place having a group hug. Then Miss Maddie made it slowly back to her car and
when she drove past us, she smiled and waved!!

This has made my trip well worth the airfare and time spent volunteering. I think I'll always have goosebumps whenever
Maddie comes to my mind.


:grouphug:

[Lavender Brown]

1. That is so cool. Thank you for sharing her story!

:grouphug:

[Dangerously Amused]

2. Stories like this make me all misty eyed.

And there are so many of them these days, I love it! What an exciting time to be alive in this country. I never thought that anything could take as much of the sting out of the last eight years as this election has for me.

Thanks for sharing it!

:hug:

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

3. This was such a wonderful experience

We had lots of people come up to our table asking for information on voting a straight Democratic ticket. There have been false emails circulating in Texas about this practice, and we were happy to be able to set people straight. This delightful lady was really the highlight of a day filled with highlights (elderly white women telling us they had voted Democratic for the first time since 1976, people honking and giving us the thumbs-up, etc. etc.).

[Gormy Cuss]

4. Kicking.

What a great experience for all.

[JeffR]

5. I just put up a link to this in GDP.

What a great story.

I hope Maddie made it home safe. I'll be thinking of her as I vote.

[madmax]

6. Group Hug

:grouphug: and a :hug: for Miss Maddie

[BrklynLiberal]

7. That is a beautiful and touching story. Thanks so much for sharing it with us...

:thumbsup: :hi:

[pnwmom]

8. That was INDEED a lovely story, but why the heck

didn't the Democratic party make sure an older lady like her had an absentee ballot and someone to help her at home -- or at least, someone to drive her!

[firedupdem]

9. Wow...thanks to you guys for helping her and for being there! n/t

[CaliforniaPeggy]

10. What a great story, my dear BW925!

Thank you for sharing it with us...

:hug:

[ClayZ]

11. Great post! Thank you!

K and R

[LiberalAndProud]

12. Heartwarming and wonderful.

This belongs on the greatest page.

[struggle4progress]

13. Folk Miss Maddie's age sometimes have early memories of people who were slaves as children

[Bullwinkle925]

18. I was thinking of that as she cast her vote!

What a truly wonderful experience!!

[SeattleGirl]

14. Great story, Bullwinkle.

Gave me goosebumps to read it.

[Emit]

15. Thanks for sharing that wonderful story!

[nickgutierrez]

16. That's really a remarkable story.

As Barack likes to point out, democracy is not about the leaders we elect but the people we choose to be in electing those leaders. This election is about Maddie, and you, and DTBK, and everybody who has volunteered their services throughout. We need a reminder now and then. :hug:

[fizzgig]

17. what a fantastic story

i am wiping the tears away. blessings on miss maddy and all those like her.

[stuntcat]

19. ((Maddie))

What a beautiful story :cry: :loveya: Wouldn't you love to see Maddie when Obama wins!??

[Bullwinkle925]

20. Yes . . . . . . . .

I certainly will have her in my heart as I walk to my polling place.

[ThatsMyBarack]

21. Sweet Miss Maddie!

Thanks for voting! :yourock: :patriot: :loveya:

[NanceGreggs]

22. An amazing story ...

... beautifully told.

:patriot: Thanks!

[Shell Beau]

23. That is great. If Ms. Maddie can get out there and vote, we all can.

I wish the more people were like Ms. Maddie.

[JeffR]

24. Time to kick this!

:kick:

[Arugula Latte]

25. Aw, now I'm verklempt.

:cry: