The Day I Voted For Reagan

I interrupt vacation coverage to share the following: in an act of friendship and twisted civic duty, I voted for Reagan in 1984.

At that time, I was a young adult living in an apartment behind an Irish bar. I made a number of friends there, all pretty liberal, except the guy we all called Blind Bob. Despite his reliance on social programs the administration wasn't keen on retaining, Bob was a Republican.

One day Bob asked me if I could help him go through his voter information, so over a few pints at the bar, I read the pamphlets to him and we filled out our sample ballots together. We had many points of disagreement. You weren't going to find me voting for Reagan. Or were you?

I was a little surprised when he asked me to go with him to the polls to cast his vote.

Once there, he told the people at the polling place that I was voting with him. We got into the booth together, and I punched his ballot. Then he took a seat outside and I voted *my* conscience. I could have done anything in that voting booth, but I did what he wanted.

One vote for Ronnie, one vote for Fritz.

I lost touch with him, but I think of Bob every election day. Was it McCain, Romney or Huckabee?