Jeez, just try to enjoy a little break time at your job.  I'm sitting in the break room and for a change it's deserted, everybody else has clocked back in.  Everybody seems quicker to get back to work ever since the economy started going south.  I guess nobody wants to be the one to get the pink slip.  Anyway, the new guy wanders in, gets a Coke and chips, sits down at the table next to me. 

I give him the head nod, you know, like I'm friendly but don't bother me because I only get a lousy 15-minute break and I don't want to waste it talking to some new guy who don't look like he was born here, anyway.  No such luck.  He's going to talk to me.  You know, hi, how are you baloney, which I give him back, because I'm not a bad guy, really.  I just want to sit here and think my thoughts, like whether I buy gas or beer and tacos on the way home.

So finally he asks the question he's been working up to, "What is election?"  Excuse me?  He repeats.  Wow, he must really be new, like to the country.  So I say, "It's voting, people get to decide who they want in charge." 

He's chews that over, then, "In charge of what?"  Jeez, what a maroon.  But, you know, what the hell, I'll be a good guy and tell him.  "In charge of the country, you know, the President.  Don't you have one where you come from?"  Shakes his head, looks a little sad.  I'm thinking what kind of hellhole does he come from?  He says he's from a little country and they have a bad leader, but they never get to do that vote thing.  Really?  What is that, like one of them dictators?  I thought that shit went out with black and white movies, but I'll bite. 
Anyway, he's back on his subject, "What is election?  Is important?"  I'm like, "Search me, pal.  I don't pay that much attention because I've never seen a dime's worth of difference between one guy and another, just seems like bullshit to me.  So he says, stubborn-like, "Must be important.  Ads all the time, people talk all the time, people get mad and yell about it.  Must mean something."  I just sigh, hoping he'll get how not interested I am in this crap. 

But he's not a quitter, I'll give him that, so he says, "Okay, I hear two names all the time, McCain and Obama.  Can you tell me what is difference?"  I think about that one.  I tell him McCain's the old white-haired dude who harps on and on about being a POW during Nam.  He's for wars and drilling for oil."  In fact, once I stop and think about it, trying to explain it, I can't think of anything else he is for, except maybe helping the rich bastards get more of the same, which ain't surprising considering the lifestyles of the rich and famous deal that he's got going on.  After thinking about what I said, guy says, "Why would POW make good president?  Is bad thing, yes?"  I have to chew on that for a second.  Finally, I just give a shrug and say, "You got me."  So he says, "You scared he's too old?  Maybe he's got problems from being POW?"  Well, hell's bells, you numbnuts, why would I give a damn about shit like that?  He says, "In my country, we think sometimes men get too old to think good.  You not worry about that?"  I give him the shrug again.  So he says, Tell me about other guy, that skinny one who talks so good."  I tell him, "Well, from what I can tell, he wants to change things, get people working again, help them get doctors and shit."  So he asks, "You think he's smart enough to do that?"  I think for a minute about what I've seen the guy talk about and then say, "He's smart and he's gone to college and learned a lot of stuff."  So he says, "Sounds like the one to vote for." 

I snort.  His eyes open wide.  He says, "What's wrong?  I say something wrong?  Why you not like smart young one?"  I chew on that one for a second.  "Okay, look, I got nothing against the guy, but there's no way he can win."  So this pain in my ass says, "Why not?"  So I let him have it, because I'm done with this civics lesson.  "Because he's black."  Guy looks shocked.  Yeah, I noticed he's a little darker than me, but not what you'd call a blackie.  Finally, he says, very quietly, "If he help you, why is that matter?"  And from then to now, I still don't know what to say.