October 29, 2008

Last night after work, I went to Phillip's barbeque located at Crenshaw and Adams, in Los Angeles. It is near the 10, Santa Monica freeway. I was standing in line waiting for my order.

A Black woman in her fifties was standing behind me. She tapped me on my shoulder. I turned to her and she was "beaming". She said "I just voted." I looked to her left shoulder and there was a red white and blue stick-on that said "I voted". She said she wanted to vote in advance but found that she could not, because she was not registered in Los Angeles and that she was registered in Las Vegas. She went on to say that she got in her car and drove to Las Vegas to vote and that she was just returning and that she had just gotten off the freeway to get something to eat. She said she was feeling so good that she just wanted to tell some one that she had just voted.

I told her that I already had voted by mail in ballot. I told her that I was proud of what she had done. She felt this was a historical election and she could not wait to vote and that she did not want to miss the opportunity simply because she not was registered in this city.

We spoke briefly about Obama not only being a Black man but the "Right" man.

We spoke of how clean he had run his campaign free of name calling. We spoke of how there was no need for Jessie Jackson or Al Sharpton or reverend Cecil Murray or any other community leader to pitch for Obama and how he stands for all people not just Black people. We spoke of how proud we were of the white people, first in Iowa and later through out the country to have the courage to step forward.

They called my number to step up to the window and get my order and we ended our conversation. As I was leaving I told her how proud I was of her to have the will and the need to drive all the way to Las Vegas so that she could place her single vote. I told her I would tell my friend about her....She had a glow....she was beaming!!!

- Clifford Mosby

Election 2008 | Exciting Times | "I Just Voted!"

Clifford Mosby speaking to students at Career Day at Cochran Middle School