"I've been waiting all day for you!"

Today was Election Day here in merry Michigan, with lots of things on the ballot and, typically, not many people showing up at the polls. Especially for property tax issues.

It was also a day of confusion, because all our sorry plans went right out the window as the day progressed, and what was supposed to be our busiest day of the week turned into a not-quite-so-busy day due to various cancellations.

I left work early in order to help out at Adam's after-school Lego Club meeting; we're programming Lego Mindstorms, and it was my responsibility to set up some web pages for training the kids to build the basic kits. I left so early from work that I missed the phone call from Cheryl which was to have informed me that Adam was not feeling well, and had gone home early.

Of course, the truth was discovered once I reached the school, but my duty could not be shirked; the web pages must be installed on all of the science lab computers. The other children were expecting it. So the full hour was spent setting up the computers, and then it was time to go home and find out how the boy was doing, before running off to the next errand.

In the rush to get home, the polling place was bypassed, which left a bit of a guilty feeling, but it was our busy day, and there were other things to do - or so I thought.

Actually, it turned out that the other scheduled event was cancelled, and since Adam was not feeling well, he wouldn't be attending Scouts tonight, so that was cancelled as well.

Hoo-whee! A free evening!

Plus it gave me an opportunity to get on down to the polling place and perform my Civic Duty. So I hot-footed it on down to the place and walked into the room and stepped up to the lady behind the table and announced my name -

"Rob Meyer? The Rob Meyer?" she asked.

Puzzled, I nodded. Wondering if perhaps she had heard of me from a neighbor, or a friend at church, or a fellow employee, or perhaps a local law enforcement officer who had a warrant out for my arrest.

"I've been waiting all day for you! Your wife left this message when she was here." And she handed me the note I was supposed to get earlier that afternoon.

Adam has gone home sick and will not be in Lego Club today.

Oh. Thanks.

For a moment, just the teensiest slice of time imaginable, I had been Somebody. I had been Famous. My Name was Known, my company in demand, my presence sought.

Now I'm back to normal again, just me. Dad. Hubby. The guy who brings home the paycheck. With a free evening, an evening to take the other kids outside so their poor, sick brother can get some rest.