The Front Lines of Democracy.

So, I went to pick up my absentee ballot yesterday. This is what happened.

(Opening Shot: Elizabeth in her tiny New York City apartment, bags packed. She is filling out a form. Close up on the form "Application for a New York Absentee Ballot." She writes in her name, her address, and the reason she will not be able to vote in New York. She smiles, writes "volunteering for Obama in Media, PA, October 1 - November 5." She checks the last box "I want to pick up my ballot at the Board of Elections." She looks up at her Obama poster, sighs contentedly. A rainbow breaks out across the Brooklyn sky. But in the distance, thunder.)

(Next Shot: Elizabeth on the train, eating a muffin, and drinking a cup of coffee.)

(Next Shot: At the Board of Elections. The elevator doors open, Elizabeth walks out, into the office of the board of elections. A grimy, tattered city office. A torn sign on the wall reads "No Eating or Drinking. Finish Your Food and Drink Outside." She holds her coffee cup behind her back. She looks at all the pieces of paper on the front desk, and waits for someone to notice her. After a full two minutes, a man jumps up like a shot from his desk. He is in his sixties, with several ID tags around his neck.)

Man: Hello! Hello! Can I help you?

Elizabeth: Yes, please! I would like to get an absentee ballot, please.

Man: (after a moment) Really?

Elizabeth: Yes, please. Thank you.

Man: Ok then! Here you go! (He hands her a form).

Elizabeth: (shows him the form she's already filled out) Actually, I've already filled this one out. From the internet.

(He is stunned into silence. This has never happened before. He may cry.)

Man: Oh!

Elizabeth: Yeah.

Man: Wow.

Elizabeth: Yes, I'm a little ahead of the curve.

Man: Yes.

(long silence)

Elizabeth: Is that it?

Man: (stamps the form loudly, glances at it) That's it!

(they look at each other)

Elizabeth: Can I have my absentee ballot now?

Man: If you come here on the 20th or the 26th, you can vote right then!

Elizabeth: (pause) But I won't be here then.

Man: Right.

Elizabeth: Can I have it now?

Man: Anytime before the 26th.

Elizabeth: What about right now?

Man: What?

(A co-worker comes over. She is a very, very short Asian woman, of indeterminate age. She is only barely visible over the counter. She has no eyebrows, and her light green eye shadow extends well beyond where her eyebrows would be. She looks perpetually surprised.)

Woman: Hello!

Elizabeth: Hello.

Man: Can she have an absentee ballot?

Woman: (hands Elizabeth the form) Just fill this out.

Elizabeth: Actually, thank you, but I already did fill it out.

Woman: You're all set!

Elizabeth: Can I have the ballot, though?

Woman: Come in on the 26th.

Elizabeth: I won't be here.

Woman: You won't be here?

Elizabeth: No, I'll be away. That's why I need an absentee ballot. I leave tomorrow.

(Man and Woman scratch their heads. Look at each other, scratch their heads again. This is an impasse they have not prepared for. Then, an idea.)

Woman: We'll send it to you. To the address you wrote down here! Anywhere you are, no matter how far away, we'll send it to you, don't worry! Bye!

Elizabeth: But I didn't put an address down. I checked the box that said I would pick the ballot up.

(More head scratching.)

Woman: No matter where you are, we'll send it to you. At the address you wrote down.

Elizabeth: So I can't pick it up today?

(silence)

Elizabeth: Should I write down the address where I'll be, so you can send it to me there?

Woman and Man: Ok, yes! Yes!

Elizabeth: (suspiciously, and with great hesitation) Ok.

(Elizabeth crosses out the box that says "I will pick up my ballot at the Board of Elections" and writes her parents address in the space that says "Please mail my ballot to me at the following address." The woman watches her.)

Woman: (offering her another form) You want this one?

Elizabeth: No, it's ok. This one's already been stamped.

Woman: Oh. Right.

(she takes the form, looks at it)

Elizabeth: So you'll send it to me? That's it then?

Woman: Where you going?

(She sees Media, PA. Her eyes grow wide.)

Woman: Oooooh. That's far away...

(The man and the woman walk away. Elizabeth falls to her knees, weeping.)