District 3

Monday was a normal day in Pontelandolfo. The school lobby was open so we could vote in the Regional Election. With “what party” and “who” I was to vote for jotted on a note in my pocket, I raced around the rain drops. It was teeming and in 15 minutes the polls would close.

(For those of you who wondered why I had the “what” and “who” jotted on a note, there were six candidates representing six parties. All wanted to be Regional President. I can barely remember my own long Italian name. You had to know the name of the candidate so you could print it nicely on the paper ballot.)

Cursing the rain and hobbling up slick steps without a guardrail leading into the school, I looked up and raised a fist at my dad.

He had ingrained in me the absolute need to vote in any and all elections. Deluge be dammed. I stopped in the foyer, shook the water out of my hat and opened my tessera votare to see where I had to go. District 3.

District 3. How is it possible that the district I lived in so many years ago. The district filled with ardent supporters that made sure my dad would be successful in Flagtown, Hillsborough and the County was the same district I’d vote in here?

Ciao Midgeee! Salve Midgeee! And as it had happened years ago in a different District 3, the home town chattering began.

I voted and dashed out.

Barely making it to the car, I was convulsing with sobs. Tears ran down my face. Jack, who didn’t go inside to vote kept touching me and asking what was wrong.

Angie Dorsa. Mc Cray, Mc Hugh, Doyle, Johnny G – my dad. My bigger than life dad who was an iconic election figure. That’s what was wrong. After hearing the first poll worker bellow “Midgeee,” all those old Democrats came to life for me. I could see them, feel them, hear them in the District 3 of yore.

Click and feel the moment. Midge “raw”coming to you from her Fiat.

Ci vediamo prossima volta! 😘

Midge

Find out more about Flagtown, NJ. Grab a copy of Disco Fries & Scenic Drives and read my short story “Postmarked Flagtown, NJ 08821.

One copy has made it all the way to The Netherlands! Thank you George!