Panorama of my town

Panorama of my town

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Vote or Dress Warmly


You are mad as hell.  You’re on a cruise ship headed for Alaska and you did NOT pack for cold weather.  YOU were expecting hot breezes and sandy beaches.  YOU brought a bathing suit and sunscreen.  YOU learned how to say ‘cervesa por favor’ and ‘donde esta el bano’ but instead you are headed for parka weather and closer to where they say ‘dasvidaniya’ and ‘nastrovia.’

As you complain and carry on with great vigor and passion to your equally disgruntled fellow passengers, you are reminded that this was a ‘Democratic Cruise’ and you knew that when you bought the ticket.    Everyone nods sullenly and takes a sip from their hot tea (not a cold rum and coke, you note angrily).   Yes, you knew there were two options when you boarded the boat but you JUST KNEW everyone would vote for Mexico!!  What idiot votes to voluntarily go somewhere cold when there are warm sunny beaches to lie on?

Yes, you knew that the vote was at 7pm but the cafeteria had warm banana pudding that night and well, how could you pass that up?  After all, EVERYONE was talking about Mexico. EVERYONE said they were voting for Mexico.  What did it matter if you stayed for pudding?  One vote doesn't really count.  Right?

As you continued to talk with the other passengers snuggled close around the table for warmth, and who, like you, had already gone back to their stateroom to put on several more layers of clothing, someone at a nearby table casually mentions that there are over 2,000 passengers on the boat, but only 100 showed up to vote. 

It takes a minute for that to sink in.  You do the math…5% of the passengers decided where 2,000 people would go on vacation?  WHAT??!  That’s not FAIR!!  Then you remember the banana pudding.  And at the next table that passenger who shared the vote tally with you gets up, waives good-bye and strolls off for a walk around the deck in her very snugly warm wool coat and cap and you sink into your chair for a very long, cold trip.


Vote or wear warm clothes, ‘cause it’s gonna be a long, cold ride. 



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