GO-BAMA!

I spent last evening with friends and countrymen and women at a local bar called Drop Off Service (it used to be a laudromat). They have a huge screen that extends along one wall for your viewing pleasure, and last night showed the election results in all their glory. A packed house, I brought cookies for Pete and Amanda, favorite bartender folk. What goes better with beer than cookies?!? They were neutral, may I add, white, milk and dark chocolate chips, with nuts (in honor of Palin, of course). HA! Just kidding...all the way around.

The evening resembled a rock concert more than any election night I've seen. Given that this is New York and the East Village, nary a soul in the place was a McCain supporter, or would admit to it. During his concession speech, there were even a few unnecessary boos. At the sight of Obama, the crowd enthusiastic almost to the point of madness filmed the speech from their cameras and cell phones, spanning the crowd in between shots of whiskey. It seemed a little cockamamie, filming Obama on a t.v. screen. Filming the filming? At the close of his speech, the crowd broke into a rally of "Yes, we cans" and "yes, we dids" along with the hordes of supporters on screen.

What a moment in history, the people in the city are decidedly more optimistic. On the streets, people have been greeting each other with smiles, even an occasional exchange of words. In a city where you mind your business, this election seems to have brought a feeling of hope, of acceptance. Rekindled in many is the belief that this country is governed by the people, for the people.

While we have yet to see what will become of the Obamas and this presidency, that one person, one family can inspire so many and in such a short period of time indicates how serious the need for such inspiration had become.