One of the Bro's called me this morning.. We chatted for a bit and he reminded me about the voting today.. We've all been very interested in the Constitutional Amendments on this ballot.. We'd chatted for a bit and he decided he'd gather up and just come over to ride over to the polling place with me.. Well.. he did a little better than that.. he brought some company with him.. Lo and behold, he rode in with a couple of old, old.. did I mention these guys are OLD friends that I haven't seen in years and years.. We sat on the world famous porch and drank us a couple of pots of that good coffee I'm noted for.. Got caught up to speed, somewhat.. in what's going on in our lives.. Sure was a good visit with these characters.. And yes.. they are characters in the truest sense of the word.. Finally Deal announced it is time to go vote, Walker.. let's do it.. When I told him that I needed to go in the pickup, he said "OK, but I'd sure feel good to ride with you, if you're up to it".. "That's what we came over here to do".. They helped me uncover that old Green Vulcan and we found a dead battery on it.. Not a bad one, just drained from sitting so long.. About a month.. After about an hour on the charger, that battery kicked the Green One in the ass and it fired off.. Damn.. that thing snorted, backfired and slung black stuff out of those V & H's.. (exaggerating quite a bit, here) I b'lieve the Green One was just giving me some shit, for letting it sit for so long, without attention.. They do that, you know..<chuckle> Those boys gathered around me and we took to the street.. I expect it is about three or four miles to my polling place and those guys were riding so close with me, if I'd fell over, I'd have wiped all of them out.. We rumbled down the street of that school and there was a pretty good crowd there.. We had to wait for a car to pull out so we could get a space close enough to the door.. When he cleared, all of us backed into the curb and dismounted.. Naturally.. all those people were looking us over when we did all this and by the time we walked up, they were all smiles.. Some of them were my neighbors and acquaintances for a long time.. Being the only one of my little escort group that could vote in that polling place, the other guys kinda separated from the line to stand to the side while we slowly inched our way to the sign in tables.. The brothers walked with me all the way up to the tables and waited while the nice lady confirmed my voting eligibility.. When I got to the booth to vote, I realized I could not read the ballot.. sheesh.. Deal noticed that I was having difficulties and he called one of the poll watchers and pointed to me.. The guy immmediately came over and asked me if I needed some help.. "Sure do, amigo.. I can't read the ballot"..As it all happened .. one of the precinct ladies... I think she was a delegate in Houston last year, overheard the conversation .. The poll watcher was kinda sorta at a loss.. The lady offered to help me if it was alright with everyone.. The upshot was that I VOTED.. As I was leaving, some asshole in the line started complaining about the amount of time it took for me to vote and the assistance required .. WTF is wrong with people ? He sees well enough to ride a freakin' motorcycle, but he has to have someone help him to fill out a ballot.. Why the hell is someone like that voting anyway ... Real loudmouth .. Genuine idiot.. Who the hell knows.. Anyway.. I got 'er did and someone like that could not ruin a perfectly good day for me.. When we got to our bikes and fired them up, I heard quite a bit of commotion back in the direction of the building.. Looking back, people were giving us thumbs up and smiling.. "Way to go, guys". "Lookin' good", "Atta boy", etc. etc. See there, there's a lot of real good people .. Sure made up for the one shithead.. Our little ride back was interrupted by a quick stop for lunch at Joe's Coffee Shop.. We rode back to La Casa with those guys damned near jammed up against me.. again. Sure was a good day.. voted and everything.. got on my motorcycle a little while and enjoyed the company of those old friends for a bit.. I'm not about to tackle a long run for a while, but it won't be long.. Cheers Bill Walker Irving
