As I was walking into the elementary school I teach at on Thursday, I realized it was a polling place. I looked down at my bag where my Kerry button was pinned. Uhg, I thought. I can't wear this thing in there. It's only fair. I took it off. Walking in, I saw a slow stream of old folks going from the gym to the door. Not too much excitement, but enough.
I entered my classroom. Not only did the lead teacher not acknowledge me for 20 minutes, not even eye contact (which is personal issue between us, but I had to put it in), she was wearing a "I Voted" sticker. Well, so was I. No biggy, of course.
As I got closer, I noticed she had inscribed "Republican" under the words in bold black marker. Whatever, I thought. It's not that big of a deal.
Once the kids had gone to lunch, she started talking to me about the election and polling, etc. This morning, she starts, there was a line down the block and around the corner. She grins.
I wonder what's up.
She continues, they opened the doors at 7. Around 10, the principal and a polling official came down to my room. I knew right away they wanted. She laughs. I put a huge Bush poster in the from window of my car. She laughs, and smiles like she did something so naughty and her parents caught her, but they couldn't really do that much about it. They told me that I had to take it out because it was too close to the doors of the building where the voters were coming in. She smiles, such an evil smile. At least I got away with it until then....3 hours is pretty good.
I don't say anything. I can't. I represent the University of Minnesota. I want to keep a good relationship. I want to like this woman. She is suppose to be my mentor. I have to keep things on the up or I'll shut her out. I try to ignore that parts of her I can't stand and just recognize her strengths for what they are. I try to not let out differences taint my experience with her. I want to have the world in common withher. I want to relate to her.
She says, I think I pissed off our neighbor. She looks to the left wall indicating the teacher next door. I told her that she's going to burn in hell for voting for Kerry, she says grinning nastily.
. . . . . . .
I couldn't believe this. She's so sneaky, and vindictive. She has all these motives. She actually told another teacher she was going to burn in hell! I don't know how she even keeps a job at this school. Well, I do. Tenure, but still. Damn. I even took off this little button that would have been stashed in a closet out of sight once it made one sweep down the hallway to the classroom, and here she is purposely, knowingly diplaying things in her car that are against regulation.
I've only hated one person in my 23 years. I mean really hated. If I had to deal with her any more than in the school setting, I think she may go down as the second.
It's so odd, though. Her perception of history before her time is close to what mine it. She's read and owns Howard Zinn's People's History. She has a Bob Marley flag up with her 40 some American flags. Another teacher asked her once, Bob Marley? She laughed and said, Yeah...I like his politics. Explain that one. I really don't get this woman. I feel like if she were born now that she would look back at the issues of dispute now and we would agree. But since she is alive now, and was close to the action during the 80s/90s (National Guard, none in combat) that she sees it differently.
Everyone wants to feel good about what they do in their life and will justifyand defend their actions and choices in order to feel good about them. We all do it. Maybe it's just that.