Actually Overheard...

This morning at my polling place, Gum Springs Church, deep in the heart of Texas.

Cast: Woman, Election Volunteer, 60 plus years, wearing sandals, gray hair still fresh from bed, a thin grey t-shirt - inside out, white shorts of some expandable material, coke bottle glasses, name - Irene. Primary job - running the laptop computer to determine if people have 'Early Voted' or not.

"This computer is tellin' me somethin - "

(Reading) "battery power is low, please save your work and swith to an auxilllry powr source t ensr tt dta i nt lss (trailing off into a befuddled whisper)

What's this mean? (yelling to 75 year old gentleman who's "runnin' the show")

- Silence, not sure if he didn't hear or didn't have any answer

Young Lady Registrar: Is it plugged in?

Irene: Of course it's plugged in, right over there. (Fumbles with cords)

Irene: What's that one guys number? He hung up on me last time. I'm a gonna call him.

Computer shuts down -

Irene: Well it's gone now, no use in buggin' him. I always knew these computers were no good. You can't trust em' all the viruses and stuff goin' round today. Somethin's always gonna break, (indistinct ramblings from a woman who can't plug the power cord into the back of a laptop.)

Me (first in line standing at door since 6:30 am): Where should I put this? (my completed ballot)

75 year old gentleman: Points silently to a computer scanner in the corner of the room.

Ever vote counts - Deep in the heart of Texas