The vote

Jeff and I had planned to do early voting this year, but we just never could get it done.

So after work, we picked up Biscuit and headed to the polls. There was nobody in line, and seeing as we had Biscuit in tow, that was a good thing.

As we were arriving at the little church that serves as our polling place, Biscuit asked, "Mom, what is voting?"

"Voting is when we get to choose who will be in charge of our country," I said to Biscuit.

"You mean God?" Biscuit asked.

"Not quite that high up," I said, smiling. "We're going to vote for the president."

"What is a president?" Biscuit asked.

Clearly, this was not going to be easy. Biscuit was in full question mode this evening, and he was slowly pecking away at my patience.

"The president is the person who's in charge of our country," I explained.

"Does the president tell firefighters and police officers what to do?" Biscuit asked.

"Sort of," Jeff said. "The president helps make laws, and the firefighters and police make sure people follow the laws."

I can't even remember all the questions he asked us, but he got really mad at me for shushing him as we walked into the polling place.

Jeff and I signed in and were escorted to our respective voting machines by poll workers. Biscuit went with me.

"Mom ..." Biscuit said.

"Shhhhh," I said.

"But Mom," Biscuit said. "I was just going to tell you that I wish I could vote."

"Shhhhhh," I said, getting a little frustrated because I couldn't concentrate on the buttons I needed to push.

We finally finished and headed out to the car. As I was fastening the straps on Biscuit's car seat, he said, "Mom, I wish I could provoke."

"Provoke?" I asked.

"Yeah," Biscuit said. "Like you and Dad just did."

"Actually, 'provoke' is when you make somebody mad," I explained. "'Vote' is what Dad and I just did."

"Then I wish I could vote, Mom," Biscuit said.

"Well, voting is for grownups," I said. "So when you get to be old enough to vote, Dad and I will go with you and teach you how to do it."

"Okay," he said, and that seemed to satisfy him.

So 50,000 questions later, I can conclude that in the future, my son will be ready to do his civic duty.