After the Election

The primary election is over. My candidate, a friend I've known since she and I were officers on the elementary school PTA, lost. I didn't even get to vote for her, because she's affilated with that other party.

Today I'm thinking about all of the brave candidates who worked hard, campaigned hard, and woke up the next morning and realized they're done. That must be tough.

And then there is this: what do I do with the campaign sign? I had one in my front flower bed and left it there for a few days in homage. After Tuesday, in moments of levity my son and I pretended to be cartoon characters and pantomimed seizing the sign from its stand, stomping over to the trash can and stuffing it in in disgust.

But after we’d had our fun, the question remained: what was the proper way to dispose of this memento? Tearing it up felt wrong, as if I was somehow disrespectful of my friend. Burning it, as you would a flag, seemed too much. Finally I put it in the recycling bin, and when it looked sad there I concealed it as best I could.

But I kept the nifty little wire stand it was resting in. You never know when you may want to put up a sign. There’s always someone to cheer for.