Japanese people don't hold very many erections.

Where to start today off (I'll confer with my notes...): DRUG-TOWN STORY! At some point a little over a week ago (or maybe exactly one week ago), another fella and I were at DrugTown on 42nd & University collecting snacks. After grabbing chips, cookies, and drink (the perfect snack-time combination, imo) we proceeded to the check-out lanes. At the cashier was a large and obviously drunken, black man (the comma makes it not a stereotype!); I'll call him Joe Six-Pack. He was very excited about Barack Obama, yelling things like "HOPE, MOTHERFUCKER!" at the man behind him in line. A man who was clad in casual gear (black athletic shorts and slightly large t-shirt... flip-flops) and had a cart full of some random junk (I don't recall what was in his cart). I'll call him Joe the Plumber. Six-Pack was taking forever in line as his credit card wouldn't run, so he had plenty of time to make this situation very awkward. It might've been much worse if PJ (Plumber Joe) were not a Barack Obama supporter as well (or intelligently non-confrontational in his situation). He nodded his head and told Joey Six'er that he was "preaching to the choir." The cashier continued to work on the CC-dialer issue, calling over another employee (obviously defeated in his life's trials) and finally, after maybe six minutes, got things up and going. Joe Six-Pack left the store "get'n out the vote" for Obama. The cashier continued to help Joe the Plumber and the cashier's co-worker opened the next register to help me and my buddy. Our cashier apologizes to us (not for his comb-over or pedephilic mustache) for the large, boisterous man... he told us "that one's a decent, good man." He then stopped and reflected a second (before asking me to pay my total) and said "I guess we've gotta ask ourselves, are we ready for President Biden?" I asked, "huh?" to which he replied, "I give it two months before somebody kills that muslim Obama, so we're basically electing Biden." I said, "that's a pretty sick view of our country, dontcha think?" "I'm just saying... I'm a Republican."

WTF.

I collected my change, grabbed my unbagged groceries, and left the store a bit in shock. This is the first time I've witnessed first-hand the type of ignorance I assume has majority in this country, in such a painfully unexpected moment (a late-night snack transaction).
Anyways, as a metaphoric epilogue... What if Joe Six-Pack in all of his excitement forgot to register to vote or Asgard-forbid he lives in Ohio and his vote never gets counted? What if Joe the Plumber says he's likes Obama, but actually intends to vote for the old white guy? What if our dumbass cashier or one of his cousin/wife's relatives actually attempt an assassination? UGHHHHHHH. While I trust in Biden's ability (last year I assumed the ticket would end up Biden-Obama), I'm excited for the symbol Barack Obama represents in this election... which if anything, is a symbol that the people are beginning to demand change. I hope the average Joes don't fail again.