Decision Day

When we think about important moments in history, the mind attempts to find our presence in them; we reflect on what we were doing what it happened and our role in the grand scheme of it all. November 4th 2008 was one of those days. Social historians in the future will record the global fascination of this American election, broadcast on countless news channels, with an audience ranging from Budapest to Samoa who enjoyed it vicariously, handicapped by the ambivalence of American foreign policy.

As for me, I was in the state of Virginia, arriving there a day before, for an interview in Richmond. Upon completion I went downtown to help my friend Genevieve at the campaign office on the west side of the city. Fate needs accomplices and on this day it was the volunteers. The office on the second floor of a large building had a large setup filled with posters, signs, and people working at all levels attempting to get the locals to vote. When I arrived there, I expected nothing, but to help, make some people smile and inspire people to vote. My role was to phone and ask if they had voted and arrange transportation for them.

In my conversations over the phone, there was always subtle humour intertwined with funny rejoinders and personalized touching remarks of wistful thoughts. It is this very communication that helped discover a woman absent from the voting lists, who I was able to convince to vote. My help however will be scarce compared to the thousands that especially flew from one part of the country to another, walked in rains to knock on doors, and worked for weeks on end with each approaching day having longer working hours than the previous.

After the polling closed the volunteers from around the city congregated at a pub/lounge with a large room reserved for the campaign. Flat screen televisions covered all the walls with a large one placed at the centre top, and a stage set with mike and speakers for various city officials that later joined. The broadcast was interjected by updates on stage about the counting underway in Virginia. An earlier (and requisite) appearance to take a picture at the podium resulted in a full blown announcement of Genevieve and I being present from Canada. As we watched the results pour in and the night stretched on taking with it the political balance of the country, I stood with strangers united by this hope of change.

Tired from standing I sat down with Genevieve who had especially flown from Vancouver to Virginia to volunteer. With my legs tired, I sat in reflection when I had an epiphany. With the Ohio results announced I was convinced that the election was over due to a quick calculation in my mind as California, Washington and Oregon would vote blue and thus secure the presidential victory. Filled with vim I walked to the acquaintances I had made and attempted to show them my logic. The networks announced the same a few minutes after I had said this, but were careful of any overarching statement as polling was still open.

When the moment did arrive as the West Coast polls closed the room is filled with an electric hush, as exhilarated supporters wait with bated breath to hear their next leader. Screams fill the air as the Obama’s name appears onscreen. People scream, dance, cry, laugh, celebrate, reflect and pray all at once. As the victory settled in, Senator John McCain came to deliver a sombre speech full of sentiments and promise to work together.

Next was the moment that we had all waited for. When Senator Obama did speak on television, hearing his speech and talk about America, at that moment it was possible to believe that everyone, from the recent immigrant to the person ground down, had the chance to share in the building of the nation. His words reminded me of something I learnt long ago, that the most important lesson of life is that there are no losers. Everyone is a winner as long as he/she does what they love best.

After leaving and driving on the streets of Richmond, it felt like that we had conquered the world. As supporters came out in droves, with their yelps of achievement ringing loudly, the stoic police stood guard to keep order. There was a level of chaos, energy and a sense that anything is possible now. It was an awake-ness of sorts. If there was a job satisfaction rating done I doubt anyone would be happier than the people who volunteered. Every face I saw is a memory. Soon the night is over and we all sink back into anonymity.

With a passion for cinema programmed into my genes I thought about a 1957 experimental film called Ab Dilli Door Nahin by the illustrious Raj Kapoor about a young boy from a far-off village journeying to Delhi to meet the Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.