I don't remember an election in recent times that has so unnerved me. But then, I can't recall being as emotionally invested in the outcome of an election as I was this time. I don't know exactly why, but my candidates rarely seem to win elections and this time I wanted very badly for my guy to prevail. I 'd convinced myself that there would most certainly be troubling consequences if he were rejected at the polls. Much to my surprise and relief, my guy won handily.

The process itself seemed interminable. First, the primaries to winnow the field. It seemed unlikely my guy would be eliminated early on but in politics anything is possible. Watching as he struggled to hone his message. Rooting from afar as he delivered his make it or break it speech. I was relieved to see that the candidates held to the high road, that they didn't descend into seamy personal attacks. And believe me, there was mud to be slung should any of them been inclined!

Finally, November 2nd arrived and I braced myself for a long day. I knew the results wouldn't be known until quite late. At 4:30 I swung into the rear parking lot of Thoreau Elementary School. Sam emerged struggling under the weight of his backpack and cello. He smiled broadly and gave me a big thumbs up. I breathed a sigh of relief. It was obvious that Sam had, in fact, been victorious in his quest to represent Mr. Vallee's fourth grade class on Thoreau School's student council.

There was, of course, that other election. The one where the incumbent lied repeatedly about most everything of importance after plunging the country into an ill conceived and unnecessary war. You know, the one where the fellow professing a deep religious faith, the one who'd personally gone missing during the Vietnam war, stood silent while his bought and paid for surrogates lied about his opponents honorable service to the country . Yeah, that one. The one where the incumbent guy paid disingenuous lip service to the difficulties faced by average people while actually promoting an agenda guaranteed to further enrich his already rich cronies. That election, that one seemed much less civilized.

At the end of that long day I imagined that somewhere George Bush the elder was experiencing something of what I was experiencing: relief that my boy hadn't had his feelings hurt by the harsh repudiation of his peers.

Dan Baker