by Renda Ashley

Created on: August 24, 2008   Last Updated: September 04, 2008

"I got 4 Republicans, 6 Democrats and 3 undecided. What'd you get, Annie?"

Ignoring her, I continued talking into the phone, "Really? I like long walks on the beach too! Your ex girlfriend did what? I can't believe that! Well, it was her loss"

Waving her arms frantically and waving a big political poster of Ronald Reagan with a post it note on it that said Remember him? The person we are campaigning for?" I reluctantly hung up the phone.

"Who was that?" Tracey asked

"I don't know, but he sounded so nice." I answered dreamily.

"Annie, Madge (the chairman of the Republican party) is going to kill you! We have all these people to survey", showing me the huge stack of people to be called, "and you know we are only supposed to ask if they are voting for Carter/Mondale or Reagan/Bush and then get to the next call! We aren't supposed to make friends with the people we are surveying! Besides that," Tracey continued "you can't just talk to every Tom, Dick and Harry like they were your long lost friend."

"I don't think his name was Tom or Harry," I said. "Maybe Richard, but I can't remember for sure"

Everyday, when we got off of work we rushed to the Republican Headquarters to do our part to campaign for Ronald Reagan. (And since we had just come home from college it seemed like as good a place as any to meet guys.)

We spent endless hours at the headquarters. We spent hours decorating a red white and blue cake shaped like an elephant and organizing a grand opening for a photo op in the local news paper. We worked diligently. We found out he was coming to Texas but he would be in Dallasa 10 hour drive if you were speeding. We wouldn't be able to make it to Dallas. We tried to be good sports and did our part, calling from the phone bank and passing out signs.

One particularly exhausting day, Madge walked up to us. She was always so nice and encouraging, "Terry, Angie, (she never , remembered our names and she had called us by the wrong names for so long it would be a little uncomfortable to correct her now!)Did you hear the big news? Oh! This is so excitingOh my, we have so much to do, I need to go get my hair done, I wonder if Blanche is booked? Oh, well, if she is maybe she can just squeeze me in"
"Madge, What is it? What is so exciting?" I asked, snapping her back to the subject at hand.
Oh, yes, Well, you will never believe it, but Ronald Reagan decided to make a stop right here in our town! He's coming on Tuesday. I have to tell Verna. This is more exciting than when the minister"

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