I’m furious about what’s happening in our country. I complain to my friends on Facebook and Twitter all the time and nothing changes. I’d vote, but unfortunately, I have my annual OB-GYN checkup on November 6th and won’t be able to make it to the polls.
I made the appointment a year ago. Do you know how hard it is to schedule those things? I needed special permission from HR to leave work early because my boss isn’t super supportive of women's health needs. Sometimes I feel like I’m discriminated against just for having a female body. It sucks, though it’s not like one vote could solve that problem.
I know everyone says the midterms are crucial to the future of our country. You know what else is crucial? My Pap smear. Fifteen years ago I had abnormal cells on my cervix. I got it taken care of and thank God my tests have been normal ever since. However, if I got cervical cancer my insurance company might consider it a pre-existing condition and deny treatment. So my healthcare is my number one priority, not waiting on some line to vote.
Of course, there are absentee ballots, but I’ve never used one before. They seem complicated, mailing something before a specific date and whatnot. If politicians really cared about what I thought, I’d be able to vote on Instagram. Until that happens, it's just not going to fit into my schedule of work, doctor's appointments, and scrolling through Instagram.
And immediately after my doctor’s appointment, I’m running to my son’s school for another meeting on gun violence prevention. Since Sandy Hook, my son's pre-K has active shooter drills once a week. Believe me, they need it. My little Aiden still doesn’t run fast enough to his designated hiding spot during “monster time.” I wish this country had reasonable gun safety laws but it is what it is, I guess.
After the meeting, I’ll be heading straight to yoga to calm my anxiety. There’s no way I’m skipping that to vote. It’s too vital for my sanity, especially since my employer doesn’t offer mental health benefits. But there's nothing I can do about that.
By then the polls will be definitely be closed or I’ll be too tired out. When the results come in, I plan on being head first in a pile of sand—assuming there’s sand left after the oceans rise over all the beaches.
Listen, I can’t be expected to pay attention to the news when I’m constantly worried about my job, paying for my healthcare, and imagining my son being murdered during morning snack. Though maybe Aiden’s death is inevitable since we won’t have a planet in twelve years anyway. I'm glad he was able to enjoy the Earth for a little while at least.
As a mother, what make me the angriest are the immigrant child internment camps. To deal with my outrage, I've started my holiday shopping early. It makes me happier thinking about Christmas, you know? Maybe I can organize a gift drive at my church for the detained children. I’d be like Jesus bringing comfort and joy to those poor kids. I bet they’d love fidget spinners. It’s the perfect toy to distract them from wondering if they’ll ever see their parents again.
I literally don’t know what else to do. Sure there’s voting, but is it really the most important thing? As far as I’m concerned, it's not. Less than half of all eligible voters vote during the midterms, so I'm glad I'm not alone.