Wilton, NH. After my first organizational meeting in the Peterborough office this Saturday morning, Justin Allen gave me a ride to Wilton, New Hampshire for another canvass. I was ambitious. After the first voter I spoke with who was leaning Obama, it began to rain and my ambition became wet and cold ambition. I continued to walk down Temple Road in the pouring rain. I stopped into an elder woman's home who was an undecided voter, but said that she wanted a president that was "going to look out for the middle class." I then met a man with a business further towards route 101 that said he was "tired of all the gridlock and lack of leadership" in government. Walking down driveways in the rain to find people not home became discouraging.
After speaking with some undeclared voters for Giuliani (who said that they would keep an open mind), I found a restaurant on Route 101 where I had a late breakfast. I was told that Wilton Center was a very far walk. After eating my sausage, eggs, hash browns and drinking a coffee, I began the walk again in the rain. I abandoned my canvass route in search of a place called "Riverview Mills." There was an open house artist event there from noon to 4:00 that I found in the local Moose newspaper. I left the restaurant around 3 and thought the walk would be an hour in the rain, but nonetheless wanted to try to make it on time.
After walking for ten minutes or so, I heard a honk and saw an elderly lady yelling something out the window at me from the other side of the highway. I continued and began walking on a gravel breakdown lane that extended beyond the narrow paved breakdown lane. While there, the car with elderly woman approached me and I went to greet them. Inside were two women, one who had moved to the back. They had placed a newspaper for me on the front seat and told me to get in. I did. They were headed to Bedford, NH to make a presentation on their book. They wrote a book about the angel Rafael. I told them what I was doing and they were happy to take an Obama bumper sticker from me. I asked them for their names, Harriet and Mary.
I met a teenager working in the store and asked her for directions to the Riverview Mill. A customer told me that it was down past the post office. I walked some more in the rain, past the post office and over some train tracks. There were the mills and an "Open House" flag.
Inside the mill, my Obama button was noticed immediately. Sibylle, a pottery artist, said her husband was doing what I was doing. We attracted a crowd of people to listen to our conversation. I handed out supporter cards like they were candy.
I then met a man who's father had worked in the mills before they were converted to artists studios and a talented sketch artist who gave me a cup of coffee and some background about herself. Entering another pottery studio, I asked to see the "river view" and was pointed to the best window in the house. In front was a small round table with an embroidered cloth and two chairs. Outside was the river, the rain drops pelting down, and a dam with the year 1949 carved into its concrete. After, I mingled and met some supporters from Francestown inside a fashion and textile consultant's studio. She and I connected easily I think because she spends a lot of time in New York. I liked her positive energy and her willingness to take a supporter card at the end of her day. She gave me a cup of cider and walked me to the door to say goodbye.
Back at the store where I got directions initially. Downstairs was a used book shop. I found the Audacity of Hope and The Story of Young Abraham Lincoln and bought the latter as I have the former. I asked the teenage clerk if she was old enough to vote. She was 18 and has not yet registered. I gave her some Obama literature and then asked her what she did. She was in her senior year in high school and wanted to go into fashion and she mentioned New York. I gave her the card of the fashion consultant I had met and told her to call her to ask for advice about schools and maybe ask for an internship. She thanked me and seemed surprised that I would do that for her.
Finally, I wandered into the Wilton Town Hall Theatre. The Darjeeling Limited is playing and I look forward to seeing it. It is one of the most beautiful old movie theatres that I have ever visited, if not the most. Across the street, I waited for my ride back to the office in the pizza shop, C&S Pizza & Subs. It has been there for 18 years. I was happy to see that they were exercising grassroots democracy by starting a petition to change the poorly thought out parking arrangement in front of their shop. I had some good baklava and look forward to going back to try their pizza. My ride came to pick me up and after seeing me speaking with everyone in the pizza shop started singing a tune to the effect "making friends with everybody."
Lessons of the Day: Do not be afraid of canvassing in the rain. Opportunities always present themselves when you stay positive.
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