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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 3202
Location: Alexandria, Virginia | Subject: There are times in life when you are proud of yourself
In life there are moments when you know instictively you've done the right thing....Days when you have no problem looking at that sonuvabitch in the mirror, whose whiskers you are scraping off. Back in November of 2005, my little Norwegian, whose remaining span of life of life were numbered in days, had been reduced to what was a skeletal frame over which her skin was stretched....most of her abdominal organs had been removed and she was in constant pain....there was no fat left on her fanny cheeks and she required padded toilet seats and a large inflatable rubber ring since when she sat all she had left was a skin covered pelvic bone. In the 2005 interim state wide election, she said...."I have never missed an opportunity to VOTE....take me to vote." You cannot fail to honor such a request....Since she had become a naturalized citizen of what she always referred to as "This wonderful country"....she had NEVER missed any opportunity to cast her carefully considered and informed vote. Anyone with half a brain would have told her that she could miss that trip to the polling place and that everyone would still consider her an exemplary citizen. "Dress me and take me to vote"....and I did. I put her rubber ring in the passenger seat and carried her downstairs in my arms. ( this part is tough as hell to type) I placed her as gently as I could in the front passenger seat....reclined the seat...covered her with a blanket and drove her to vote. When we got to Lane Elementary School, our polling location....I went in to find out if it would be OK to buck the line and bring her in, in my arms to cast her vote. They did me one better, they brought out a computer looking contraption and let the two of us vote in the van....The Polling Captain, bent down and kissed her gently on the forehead and whispered,"God Bless you, dear lady" and handed her an "I VOTED" sticker for her jacket...and we returned home and I carried her up to bed and she died several weeks later in mid-December. Later.... several weeks later, I was searching for a cup Don Gentry had sent her (which incidently I found hiding on the floor by the side of her recliner I couldn't see. She had been drinking apple juice when she whispered..."Please take me to the Emergency Room"....And I picked her up for what became her last ride....When I found Don's magical cup, it was still half full of apple juice)...When I was trying like hell to locate that cup, I found her little I VOTED sticker lying on the night table by her bed....I peeled the back off and stuck it on the back of the frame with her photo in it......Fast forward to today....The polls in Virginia open at 6:00AM ( or 0600 for you die hard purists)....Last night, I drove to STARBUCKS and got them to fill two stainless steel Thermos bottles with something called "Double Blackeyes" a coffee brew that can disolve bridge rivets, float railroad locomotive parts and reverse the effects of embalming fluid.....It is the closest commercially available similation of smokeboat bottom-of-the-pot, Mid-Watch coffee....which was a metamorphic stage of the transition of coffee to asphalt. I came home...and set the clock for 2:00AM....a time of morning that our COB, Chief Vanderheiden called a time of night when "only burglars and bad wimmin were running around." I jumped into the sheep dip locker. tossed on some clothes and arrived at my polling place at 3:30AM.....(Chris Matthews on MSNBC had admonished us all to arrive early because of the expected large turnout...that would cause long lines and hours of delay.) When I got to Lane Elementary School...there were no lights on. There were no cars or vehicles of any kind in the parking lot....No VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH POLL signs...no political signs....no desks where nice ladies hand out sample ballots so that you can vote their "straight ticket"....So, I parked...got out and placed my folding canvas chair next to the door, got out my Thermoses (is that a word??) of STARBUCKS iguana plasma...uncorked them and poured myself a cup of coffee that turned me into a cross between Gene Kelly, Fred Astair and a totally insane monkey in thirty minutes....the last of which Corabelle is convinced is a short trip for me. I sat there in the dark, staring at an empty parking lot, wondering where all the poll workers and their ten-million signs were....and wondering if the bastards had moved the polling place somewhere else.....When you are drinking gallons of bottled water and a bath tub load of STARBUCKS anti-personnel coffee, and are gifted with highly efficient kidney function....all of a sudden you get an undeniable urge to return a portion of your kidney processed caffene residual to Mother Earth.....I found a dark corner behind the building and made my contribution to returning reprocessed natural ecologically friendly liquids to the planetary reclaiming system. I did not know at the time that I was auditioning on some kind of security camera system....those sonuvabitches are like Pakistani 7-11 clerks...they're everywhere. So a Security Guard showed up...some old coot who could easily have been 105 years old who had a tremendous billy bat...a four D-cell Mag-Lite and a hand held radio connected with some Elmer Fudd sounding guy at an undislosed location...."Whadda yoo doin' here?" "Came to vote." "Now?" "Well yes, if I can....but I kinda think I'll hafta wait until the polls open" "They don't open til SIX"...."I know I wantta be first in line" "You damn well should be, if you hang around til SIX" I did...and I was....and if you will excuse me, I've got to go upstairs and put my I VOTED sticker on the back of a picture of a lovely lady. DON'T FORGET TO VOTE...every submaqrine sailor paid his dues to preserve that right. DEX |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 2357
| Subject: A great Story Dex....
....and it was about voting, and Wonderful woman.
Here's to you all, and I hope the person you voted for wins......
I 'voted' too.....it was a hard choice, but, I placed a vote non the less ( in cyber land of course )
Blue *_*
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 6180
Location: Summerville, SC | Subject: RE: There are times in life when you are proud of yourself
Good on ya, Dex. We know she'd be proud of ya.  I voted also, the other day. Took advantage of the over 65 absentee vote.
It's a drizzling rain outside this morning, so, I'm glad I weathered through the long line last week. I'm sitting here now with a cuppa and my blk lab drapped across my feet---life is good. |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 2672
Location: New Jersey | Subject: RE: There are times in life when you are proud of yourself
Real nice story Dex.... |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1814
Location: Boydton, Virginia | Subject: RE: There are times in life when you are proud of yourself
I just got back from the polls. I live out in the country and vote in an old black-owned community center about 10 miles away. Can't be over about 3-400 registerd voters assigned there. But it was CROWDED this morning. I think this will be an all-time record turn out at the all polls, even though there is a cold drissly rain falling here all day.
Thanks for the inspiration, Dex. Voting is not only a right, but a responsibility for every citizen. You take it for granted until you loose that right. Here in Virginia a convicted fellon cannot vote. period. No matter how small the crime and how much he has repayed society and become a model citizen. Think of that when you go to the polls.... there may be friends and neighbors that would give thier eye teeth for what you take for granted.
Steamboat sends |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 2254
Location: Foothills of the Ozarks | Subject: RE: There are times in life when you are proud of yourself
My wife and I got to the poll at 0630 and we were number 39 & 40. The first guy got there at 0500 and had his coffee, his newspaper and a big grin on his face at being first in line. Real friendly crowd that grew to well over one hundred by the time we finished voting. Weather is sunny and 51F going up to a record 75F. They are predicting over 75% turnout here in Michigan. Ought to be easy to achieve since we have at least that many unemployed.
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Old Salt
Posts: 419
Location: Anchorage, Alaska | Subject: RE: There are times in life when you are proud of yourself
Way to go, DEX, and God bless Solveig.
I have never taken the right to vote for granted and can't think of any elections I missed voting in since I turned 18 in 1961.
To all... If you haven't voted yet, get down to the polls and stay in line 'til you've done your duty as a citizen. After national service, it's the most important thing can do for your country.
Edited by Park Dallis 2008-11-04 11:47 AM
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Master and Commander
Posts: 2254
Location: Foothills of the Ozarks | Subject: RE: There are times in life when you are proud of yourself
Park Dallis - 2008-11-04 8:47 AM
Way to go, DEX, and God bless Sloveig.
I have never taken the right to vote for granted and can't think of any elections I missed voting in since I turned 18 in 1961.
To all... If you haven't voted yet, get down to the polls and stay in line 'til you've done your duty as a citizen. After national service, it's the most important thing can do for your country.
Park: If you were voting in 1961 at 18 years old you were illegal. I don't think the law changed to lower it until the early 70's. Now we have to back and recount all the ballots up to 1964. I volunteer to do it as part of my retirement plan.
Thanks Shipmate
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 3202
Location: Alexandria, Virginia | Subject: RE: There are times in life when you are proud of yourself
Doc, If you were a Georgia resident you could vote at 18 in the 50's....The citizens of Georgia figured if you could be drafted and sent to fight your country's wars, you should have the unfettered right to vote for the bastards who sent you there. Virginia felt the say way about beer drinking...At 18, a bluejacket could drink 3.2 beer and nobody ever checked to see that the alcohol content exceded 3.2%.....Norfolk had seen a lot of lads go to sea during WWII and die before the nation they served allowed them to get a snoot full with their mates....and they rectified the situation. DEX |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 2254
Location: Foothills of the Ozarks | Subject: Drinking and voting are two different issues
dex armstrong - 2008-11-04 9:27 AM
Doc, If you were a Georgia resident you could vote at 18 in the 50's....The citizens of Georgia figured if you could be drafted and sent to fight your country's wars, you should have the unfettered right to vote for the bastards who sent you there. Virginia felt the say way about beer drinking...At 18, a bluejacket could drink 3.2 beer and nobody ever checked to see that the alcohol content exceded 3.2%.....Norfolk had seen a lot of lads go to sea during WWII and die before the nation they served allowed them to get a snoot full with their mates....and they rectified the situation. DEX
I was referring to National Elections. I couldn't vote in the 1964 election because I was only 20 so I had to wait until 1968 to vote in the national elections. Being stationed in New London, however, I could catch the train and go down to New York City and legally drink a beer.
I don't know anything about Georgia voting laws but I suspect that even Georgia didn't allow under 21 lads; bluejacket, or otherwise to vote in national elections; maybe there were different laws for local elections. Stranger things have happened.
Twenty Sixth Amendment - Right to Vote at Age 18
Amendment XXVI - Right to Vote at Age 18
Passed by Congress March 23, 1971. Ratified June 30, 1971.
Section 1
1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are 18 years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of age.
Section 2
The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 566
Location: Inyokern, Ca. | Subject: RE: There are times in life when you are proud of yourself
Well, I voted in every national election since I was 18! Of course, that wasn't till 1978... 
Great story Dex, thank you for sharing it with us.
BB |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 3202
Location: Alexandria, Virginia | Subject: History Lesson for Doc
Prior to the formulation and partial ratification of the 26th Ammendment, four states had defied the NATIONAL VOTING AGE....Georgia and Kentucky established 18 as the age required to vote in national elections....Georgia challenged the federal authorities to disenfranchise her sons and daughters by not counting their votes. Alaska let her sons and daughters vote at 19 and Hawaii at 20....Those ages may have been part of their negotiations to enter the Union as states...not sure. The following states NEVER ratified the 26th Ammendment....Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and Utah. Georgia allowed her sons and daughters to vote in national elections in the late 50's EVEN if they did not claim state residency, if (a) they were born in Georgia and could document that fact....I was born in Floyd County Hospital in Rome Georgia on 12-26-1940 and documented that fact with a "certified true" of my birth certificate that was made in the SubRon Six office on Orion. And (b) you had to verify and document that you were currently servibg on active duty in the Armed Forces (any branch) of the United States of America....At the time I was residing on REQUIN operating chipping hammers, paint scrapers, three pong knuckle busters....jackassing sharpshooter buckets to the dumpster, hauling Guard Mail to the boat deck radio shack and SubRon Six Office, standing topside watch, pulling mess cooking in the watch section rotation merry-go-round and doing my significant part keeping unsavory characters from coming to the U.S. in large numbers to lift the hems of innocent American girl's nighties. I applied for an absentee Georgia ballot, cast my nineteen year old vote for Jack Kennedy...had it certified by Capt. Rice in the Squadron Office and mailed it in...I got an acknowledgement from the Governor of Georgia thanking me for participating in the electoral process. I verified this by checking the history of the 26th Ammendment on the internet. Apologies for the contradiction gladly accepted. By the way, I think I was informed about the process by reading about it in ALL HANDS......DEX |
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Old Salt
Posts: 419
Location: Anchorage, Alaska | Subject: RE: There are times in life when you are proud of yourself
Doc Gardner - 2008-11-04 7:19 AM Park Dallis - 2008-11-04 8:47 AMWay to go, DEX, and God bless Solveig.
I have never taken the right to vote for granted and can't think of any elections I missed voting in since I turned 18 in 1961.
To all... If you haven't voted yet, get down to the polls and stay in line 'til you've done your duty as a citizen. After national service, it's the most important thing can do for your country.
Park: If you were voting in 1961 at 18 years old you were illegal. I don't think the law changed to lower it until the early 70's. Now we have to back and recount all the ballots up to 1964. I volunteer to do it as part of my retirement plan.Thanks Shipmate
Sorry, Doc, I grew up in Georgia where the voting age was changed to 18 in August of 1943, a long time before the rest of the country wised up. I think they did it because I had just been born in June of that year.
You could look it up but I did it for you... here.
- prior reductions: Georgia in August 1943[64] and Kentucky in 1955;[1] Guam in 1954[65] and American Samoa in 1965[65]
Georgia leads the way!
Happy Election Day, shipmate.
Edited by Park Dallis 2008-11-04 11:48 AM
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 2561
Location: Rapid City, SD | Subject: South Dakotans can vote at 18
One of my relatives just did.
Cora |
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Senior Crew
Posts: 131
Location: Communist Humboldt County | Subject: RE: There are times in life when you are proud of yourself
Dex, inyour usual masterful way of using the English language has again brought my emotional rollorcoaster to the overload point. It just serves as a reminder of reality for me anyway that no matter how I feel, mostly not very well and sheddiing tears when least expected you have done it again. A much needed reality check and I thank you. Your loss of the most beautiful metric built blond will never be forgotten. You have succeeded in imortalising her at least to all us old boat sailors who know you and who sometimes hate some of your off the wall and undeserved badmouth but respect the fact that commonsense does eventually prevail. You've given us more belly laughs than the law should allow which are always a God send, to me anyway. It proves that holding a grudge is pointless and detrimental to all involved'd health. I go back and reread some of your exploits as I do Mr. Roy Ator's for a sometimes badly needed reality check and a shot of patiotism. I never fail to include you and your's doris in my daily and nightly talks with my GOD Knowing that he has never let me down, sometimes waiting until the very last minute to take charge of me and my situation which at times can be so difficult that the easy and selfish way out has come to mind but never NEVER will come to pass as long as I have my submarine family to allow me to vent sometimes terrible pressure of day to day mandatory needs for my skinny body. I can relate to every word you said as you said it. It hurts to sit even on a padded stool seat because of no meat on my butt or anywhere for that matter. When I drop to below 140# my mind really goes bezerk wondering why and at times wishing that my time would come quicker than I'm destined for. Thank you my unusual submarine friend. You do so much for others without realizing it I'm sure but I just felt compelled to pass onto you a well deserved BZ and thank you.
PEP |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 6180
Location: Summerville, SC | Subject: RE: There are times in life when you are proud of yourself
Cora, 18 year olds can vote Nationwide since 1971. |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 2254
Location: Foothills of the Ozarks | Subject: Thanks for the History Lesson
dex armstrong - 2008-11-04 11:45 AM
Prior to the formulation and partial ratification of the 26th Ammendment, four states had defied the NATIONAL VOTING AGE....Georgia and Kentucky established 18 as the age required to vote in national elections....Georgia challenged the federal authorities to disenfranchise her sons and daughters by not counting their votes. Alaska let her sons and daughters vote at 19 and Hawaii at 20....Those ages may have been part of their negotiations to enter the Union as states...not sure. The following states NEVER ratified the 26th Ammendment....Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and Utah. Georgia allowed her sons and daughters to vote in national elections in the late 50's EVEN if they did not claim state residency, if (a) they were born in Georgia and could document that fact....I was born in Floyd County Hospital in Rome Georgia on 12-26-1940 and documented that fact with a "certified true" of my birth certificate that was made in the SubRon Six office on Orion. And (b) you had to verify and document that you were currently servibg on active duty in the Armed Forces (any branch) of the United States of America....At the time I was residing on REQUIN operating chipping hammers, paint scrapers, three pong knuckle busters....jackassing sharpshooter buckets to the dumpster, hauling Guard Mail to the boat deck radio shack and SubRon Six Office, standing topside watch, pulling mess cooking in the watch section rotation merry-go-round and doing my significant part keeping unsavory characters from coming to the U.S. in large numbers to lift the hems of innocent American girl's nighties. I applied for an absentee Georgia ballot, cast my nineteen year old vote for Jack Kennedy...had it certified by Capt. Rice in the Squadron Office and mailed it in...I got an acknowledgement from the Governor of Georgia thanking me for participating in the electoral process. I verified this by checking the history of the 26th Ammendment on the internet. Apologies for the contradiction gladly accepted. By the way, I think I was informed about the process by reading about it in ALL HANDS......DEX
Always glad to learn something new; especially from those who actually lived the history they are teaching.
I appreciate the lesson; what time is the crow being served?
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1814
Location: Boydton, Virginia | Subject: RE: There are times in life when you are proud of yourself
I first voted in 1964 Presidential elections. For some reason i happened to be home on leave in Michigan from SUBRON 12. My Daddy took me by the ear and showed me where to put my X under Barry Goldwater's name. Funny thing is, by today's standards Goldwater was a liberal. Maybe that is why I have voted Democratic ever since?
Steamboat sends |
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Old Salt
Posts: 431
| Subject: RE: There are times in life when you are proud of yourself
I missed the 64 election by 4 days I think it was. But I havent missed one since.
Too many men gave thier lives and/or fortunes to give me that right.
Im named after an ancestor that left England to avoid going in the British Army, he later fought in the American Revolution for those freedoms we enjoy today. He too saw the obligation to serve and help form the country he owed so much.
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 602
Location: Visalia, Ca. | Subject: RE: There are times in life when you are proud of yourself
I cast my first ballot in 1972, 4 weeks after my 18th birthday.
I have missed only 1 election since then - in 1980, I was deprived of my right to vote by the US Postal System, which did not get my absentee ballot to Scotland before the boat departed on patrol.
As the late Science Fiction Author and retired Naval Officer Robert A. Heinlein wrote: It is a citizen's duty to vote, to cast an informed ballot. There may not be anyone or anything worth voting for, but there is always something to vote against. And this year was no exception.
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There are times in life when you are proud of yourself
