Post Primary Post: playgrounds, precincts - Choosing Slides, Sides

Early and Often: Such as when we, just prior to dashing out the doors to recess! asked our-selves...and then, increasingly, from our class-mates..."you're gonna' go left, right?" 😕😖😟!!!

Elected, Assigned: Depending on the setting, times, circumstances, we learned that we will all face situations where choosing up sides is more of "a show of hands...write down your preference for class president, the terms of office are...on the best/worst dresser in HS..."(the latter falling out of popularity due to sense and sensitivities...) Whereas others, ostensibly "in the service of time"...along with "to keep things even up" you don't even have to give it a second, thought: "count off, one two...you go left of the chalk line...on to..."here's a red jersey, blue for you..." and in after school basketball practice, on more than one occasion (before coed-you-cational PE): "OK fellas, they shorted us on jerseys, so we're gonna' have to go shirts and skins..." 😰 ! 

Cornered: When those persistent pollsters pull you in, when you least expect it. Like when I was innocently biking around the school yard, after hours and brought to a sudden "Halt!" This from a few of what we used to call "older, bigger kids" -- "Who are your folks voting for, Nixon or Kennedy?" Think fast...impro-wise...clever me..."I'll go find out and come right back, I promise...don't go away..." (knowing full well that I was going to send my proxy instead)...there's always a way around these pesty pollsters...

Leaving me little or no choice: Or the illusion of choice, as when traveling abroad, the menu posted on the window, presenting a whole range, including the so-called "daily special" turned out to be "anything but..." As we came in to find out, once we voted with our feet, pretty much committed..."this is what you'll get instead..." (familiar territory, especially around voting time, after a pro-LONGED period of campaigning...?). Standing in sharp contrast to...

Too many: As recent as the day of this charade of choices...after the waitress came and went once, twice..." I know you had a challenge with the main selection, but now you have the choice of not one but two sides...I'll give you a few more minutes and if you can't come to a decision I'll make it for you...did you ever see The Giver?" 😕😢

Opting Out: A growing trend, a range of options in and of them-selves -- from the long-standing "Independents Party" on to the "Un-deciders" and now, especially due to the mutual dis-satisfaction on behalf of parties on both sides of the so-called aisle, coming out of our primary polls, precincts, on what should have been next to the last day in February: "A large party of people committing to be un-committed😞..."  

Outside In: What the pollsters try to do, peeking into our minds, well ahead of time, to share intel with the so-called influencers...influencing us to choose sides. What I was able to accomplish by simply walking around the playground-turned precinct, absent voters, and peek into windows around the surrounding neighborhood, along with a whiff of what was being omitted (I mean emitted)...a growing trend 🎋 of those of voting age, staying home...to party😎! In politics sometimes referred to as the sniff test. 

Final February exercise in futility: Leaping for joy just to March into madness...

Next: What qualifies YOU? (to be a Recess! ref, Playground Policia) - review, revise resume...ready?