It was 1992, and I was living in Lake Bluff, the poor relation of the frothy rich and rabid Republican Lake Forest bordering our south. A Lake Forest bother-in-law loved to remind me that he paid less in taxes on a two acre, five bedroom, tennis courted French Traditional than I paid on a three bedroom - one bath ranch.
Arguing politics with another Lake Forest brother in law, I suggested he look up conservative and liberal in the dictionary and tell me which one he wanted to be. He laughed and told me real life was not the dictionary.
An out of town friend of the ex-wife wondered if there was a city ordinance that all Lake Forest wives be blonde and Republican. I confirmed the ordinance adding it also required they drive a Jeep Cherokee and own a Golden Retriever named Cliché.
Our polling place was in Lake Forest and I wore my patriotic best. I stepped into the booth, closed the curtain and scanned the ballot. Unable to find what I required, I turned, poked my head out the curtain and shouted to the ex standing in line a few feet behind me, "Hey, how do you punch a straight Democratic ticket?" Happy Election Day.
Lake Bluff.... Illinois?
ReplyDeleteAlso, ~E KNUNCKLE BUMPS~
Tintin,
ReplyDeleteDidnt you hear, voting for Democrats in on Wednesday. ;)
Great tie; better story.
ReplyDelete--Matthew
Now imagine what it feels like to live in Du Page County!
ReplyDeleteYou could always comfort yourself that 1 Chicago precinct counter all the votes in both towns.
This story put a smile on my face after my lengthy and chaotic voting experience this morning.
ReplyDeleteWhat were/are politics like in the military, Tintin?
I lived in Lake Forest in 1992, but I did not pay for my housing (!). A friend of mine went to vote in the primary that year, and in Illinois one requested a Democratic or Republican ballot. When he requested a Democratic ballot, one of the Lake Forest matrons behind the table said to her friend, "Y'know, I knew a Democrat once, too!" Of course, in 1992 Clinton won, so it was a special victory being in LF.
ReplyDeleteSo hey, in NYC, you're finally surrounded by...yourself.
ReplyDelete-DB
Just great! I feel your pain.
ReplyDeleteML
Nice one, DB! ME
ReplyDeleteThat looks like one hell of a nice hanger. Where did you pick that up?
ReplyDeleteCrack me up: "...named Cliché"
ReplyDeleteLet's enjoy these next four years.
Alan- Yes, IL. Is there another Lake Bluff bordered to its south by Lake Forest outside IL?
ReplyDeleteAnon- Thanks. I didn't know. I'm heading out now.
Matthew- The tie and story are the same age.
David- Next time I'm moving to Evanston.
Makaga- The assumption is that everyone in the military is conservative but I know men who were amazing soldiers and liberal.
Then there are the conservative soldiers. Men of the land. The common clay of America. You know... morons.
Pierre- free living in Lake Forest? Were you a gigolo?
DB & ME- No, the liberals hate me in NYC. I don't believe in gun control.
ML- We can celebrate this Dec.
Anon 21:59 - Off a clothes rack.
Benjamin - I hope we can.
I am not sure which I love being more a Veteran or a Democrat, especially when I am surrounded by friends who are neither.
ReplyDeleteMy father is convinced he was passed over in the Navy because he was a little too vocal about being a Democrat so I have always kept politics out of the workplace and around my father in law, but I have finally reached a point in my life where I don't care about it at work. I still don't talk to my father in law about politics (he's a retired O6) but I don't let my children hear his nonsense.
Great story.
Paul in NoVA
Hurrah! Now you're surrounded by fellow Socialists all following comrade Soetoro to a ghastly repeat of an oppressive feudal society. Remember when people voted for freedom and opportunity and not because "the other guy is rich and I hate him?"
ReplyDeleteOh wait....maybe you don't.
"Makaga- The assumption is that everyone in the military is conservative but I know men who were amazing soldiers and liberal.
ReplyDeleteThen there are the conservative soldiers. Men of the land. The common clay of America. You know... morons."
Really? You sell insurance don't you?
Anon- I don't really sell insurance. I beg people to buy it.
ReplyDeleteBeen busy for a few weeks since election day so have only just had time to surf back numbers and came across this. I spent most of my business career surrounded by Jumbos so generally avoid the P word. It is really quite extraordinary how super sharp people will jettison all their value judgements when it comes to politics. The only similar suspension of belief I've come across is in religious types and occasionally amongst the nomenklatura in the Soviet Union in the 70's. D's are guilty of it too of course but there doesn't seem to be quite the same cult like quality about it. You're probably safe to put this up TT, no one is going to scroll this far back haha
ReplyDelete