i met a stranger today. a shop clerk in the netherlands. a black girl. when i spoke in english to her, she stopped. and looked at me.
then she asked me if i was an american.
yes, i said.
she shook her head.
will you vote? she asked.
yes. i couldn’t help it. so i added…
and i’ll be voting for Obama
we looked at each other. in one of those moments.
and we high-fived it, laughing out loud.
bam!
she leaned over the counter
he’s, ah… um, half, um, black. and the other part, um, ah, is white.
and, um, ah maybe he can bring peace.
i was thunderstruck. and understood this:::
we have to become important to this black white stranger.
we have to become his obsession.
we have to give ourselves to him.
and expect. demand he do the same.
we have to give him something greater to lose.
than power. or money. or fame.
but whatever holds people like us, people here at DD
whatever holds us to this urgency to protect life
diversity, freedom
whatever it is that makes us care
we have to pass it onto this man who made a speech four years ago
and swept us away
now. it is our turn.
to sweep him away.
with our love for the very least among us.
the homeless. the hungry. the confused.
the apathetic. the aimless. and all creatures.
it’s our job. to capture his heart and loyalty.
and let him know we get it… we all have to do it better, if we want a better world.
we can reach him, this Barack Obama. if we want to.
we can bring him with us.
yes. shop girl. we can. have peace. if we want it so.