So election night 4 years ago I worked the bar at Ryans Daughter on New York’s UES. I watched and listened to people who came in for pints and brews. All sorts of opinions. A few fucks here and a couple of “scumbags”there. That’s bar talk........people have opinions. nonetheless.

Those opinions are all like arseholes. Everyone’s got one and they usually stink. The last thing I remember before I left was an Irish mate of mine laughing and going “This fuckers gonna do it”!!!! Between you and I I think he voted for that Fucker.

We have a way of using this language in all ways to make you think. I think I stayed up to see the speeches and concessions. In fact I know I did because in a foggy memory I see Baron on stage at 4.30 in the morning and people crying at the Javits Centre.

But I digress. The bigger political picture that day was 3 hours later I was rising from a beery slumber to throw a splash of cold water on the face, take a hop and a spin in the shower and lash on a nice pressed clean shirt. I had somewhere to be.....

Spanish, Arabic, Yiddish, filled my eardrums. Yamulkes, Turbans, an Irish accent here and there. CNN reporting a surprise victory and Walls being paid for in pesos. Friends I’d made in the liberal blue New York over 15 years texting like 9/11 had happened all over again!!!

No sense. Nonsense. Nothing made sense. I felt very small. I was reassuring Americans apologizing to me on this most holy of bureaucratic and agnostic days. As a white male English speaking person I’d never ever felt so small.

I was reassuring Americans apologizing to me on this most holy of bureaucratic and agnostic days. As a white male English speaking person I’d never ever felt so small. I’ve never had to fear what Black people, Spanish speaking immigrants, Women, LGBTQ people and so many more had

to fear. I’ve never had to feel that no one listens to me because I hit the lottery when they were handing out genders and skin colors up in the Matrix. But in this second as an immigrant about to take an exam to become a US Citizen I realized I was about to have a voice so long

as I passed this test......for the first time in my life I realized that my voice could matter & that made the universe just swallow me up. I made a pact with myself. That if I passed this one test. I would vote in every election I could until the day I die.

I’ve stayed true so far and intend on being in the line first thing in the morning. It’s not my place at all to suggest or endorse who you should vote for or even to demean your choice about voting.

I just realized that not having a voice sucks. So many people still don’t. I’ll use mine and it’ll be full of the Blarney you’d expect. But I’ll use it nonetheless. Thank you. #vote #VoteEarlyDay #Nopoliticsispolitics #mydaalwayssaid...