I followed
up on my good resolution to cast my vote as the first thing ‘to do’ in the day. After morning Mass, nicely timed at 6.30 AM,
I took the 10-minute walk to the polling booth along unoccupied pavements,
bordering empty streets. No crowds, no
traffic. But I did encounter members of
the ‘walking brigade’; trim in t-shirts, shorts and jogging shoes they cast
enquiring looks my way. I did not look
like a regular. A newbie, perhaps? Fellow jogger? I smiled my ‘No!’ Fellow
voter? They returned the smile, ‘Not yet!’
And then
there was the canine brigade as well.
One lady had three fluffy miniature albino pekes. Ankle high and royal
lap dogs, they come with a fascinating history of their own. I stopped to exchange insults with them –
pekes are snobs! Then there was the dog
walker with seven on separate leashes – three in front and four to the
rear. Tall and short, fat and thin, they
walked in perfect synch! The Drill
Sergeant would have been proud of them and how!!
And so to
the polling venue. I must truly look innocuous.
The bevy of policemen – a whole cohort by the looks of them – were uninterested,
and allowed me to pass through the portals unaccosted. No frisking, no security check, no ‘have you
carried your mobile phone?’ Apparently, no trouble was expected. At the booth
itself, a line of ten or so had already formed; an improvement over the last
experience when we were just three and waiting for the booth to be opened!
Clearance was brisk, my name found on the list, I cast my vote with the
confirmatory ping and exited the booth with my inked left index finger. I took
the comfortable walk home. The whole
exercise had taken a mere half hour.
I have cast
my little boat upon the water. Will it
sail or will it sink? Will it go far and achieve much? Or will it be engulfed
and overwhelmed? The portents for the future are not too far away.
Back home to
a hot cup of tea and the morning paper.
And I am assaulted by a solicitation by Modi for my vote – a full page
frontal in the Times. Surely, this is a
violation of the code of conduct? Solicitation is not allowed on voting day?!
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