12.03.2015
To be contrary, and to pick the option that was the lesser of two evils, he marked the left-most circle as his choice. The blonde girl raised her hand, but didn’t wait to be addressed before asking her question. “Where is the choice for none, or to write in your own option?” Linda looked immediately to Johnny who promptly answered, “The full ballot is in front of you. Please choose from those options. Remember, there’s space on the back page to fill out and leave comments or suggestions for improvement. Please refer to the instructions there.” Graphite scraped over pages to darken small circles for the votes cast. And then people set the pencils down. The ‘Bureau of Economic Intensification’ name was spelled out on the sides of the pencils, but the text was so long that the first sharpening, for the use of these ballots, wore off the first two letters. People sitting next to one another struck up conversations, and chatter filled the air of the room. Johnny and Linda walked a zig zag path through the tables as they collected the pamphlets. Tern stood up, following the lead of a few others. Tern put the pin in his pocket. He’d toss it into the trash when he left the building. Destroy a little swag and kill a bit of the budget. Linda spoke up again, her voice rising above the group, causing people to quiet. “Democracy is about giving people a voice,” her voice really projected now. She must have finally felt comfortable, or feel particularly strongly about this point. “And that is what we facilitate here. Johnny and I would like to thank you all again. Your voices will be heard on these ballots, and you can look forward to the exciting roll-out of the new economic sanctions in no time at all. We strive to create a more fruitful and aggressive air of prosperity for this country, and we’ve stepped toward that ambitious goal today, with your help! Enjoy the rest of your days, everyone.” Johnny waved and said, “Goodbye,” as well.