I wait tables and for some reason many of our patrons want to ask all of us on the wait staff, who we are voting for. I understand this is a big election, but I was always taught that questions about politics and the like were kind of off limits especially if you just surprise someone you don't really know with one of those question. I recently got the "What do you think of Sarah Palin?" question. I had to stop and think for a split second after hearing the question, for a couple of reasons. First of all there are a few rules to waiting tables:

1. do not insult your table.
2. do not argue with your table.
3. do not ever talk religion or politics with your table.
4. your table is never wrong.

So I had to stop and remember this, and figure out what I was going to say. I found myself staring at this woman speechless, I have been doing very well avoiding these kinds of questions for quite sometime now and here was this very kind, middle-aged woman asking me what I think of someone I'm not quite sure I like. I couldn't tell her I haven't found much to like about Sarah Palin just yet, that I haven't heard a speech from Sarah Palin that I found to contain substance. I wasn't about to throw myself into what was sure to become a firestorm. I have gotten to know this woman and her husband through their visits to the restaurant and I knew FOR A FACT, without asking, they are both McCain/Palin fans.
The second reason I stopped was because I realized as I tried to lay down sandbags to avoid answering her question directly I found myself getting angry. I hated that she was asking me this question, not because I was too scared to answer the question but because I soon realized when I glanced at the other three people at the table watching me, waiting with these expectant eyes, with smiles slowly emerging on their faces that the question was asked because they were sure that since I am a 22-year-old woman that Sarah Palin is my hero. I cannot stand that because I am a woman the majority of people assume Sarah Palin is my hero. Now, good for Sarah Palin for being asked to join McCain on the GOP ticket, good for her for being smart enough to accept his invitation and good for McCain for being smart enough to find him a woman to run with him, but by no means does this mean that she is in anyway a woman I look up to. I find it difficult to admire politicians to begin with, but she didn't have to do anything besides win the gubernatorial race in ALASKA. Hillary Clinton on the otherhand, there is a woman I can get behind. Not because I agree with her entirely, but because she threw her hat in the race and said "this is me, this is what I think and I'm going to go out and challenge one of the oldest instituitions in America and try to make history."
I successfully dodged the question but I know that it is only for the time being because they will be back and she made a point to tell me to do more research and let her know that I think next time she is in. And on top of that she wants to know who I am voting for.
I am ready for the election to be over with. I'm ready for McCain to win or for Obama to win so all of the questions can end. Because I'm not quite sure how I am going to tell this woman the next time she is in that I think there are better women for us to look up to ...