"Did you vote, Mami?!"

[Chovexani]

That's what the Dominicans that own my corner bodega in Brooklyn asked when I popped in to get a soda on my way back from voting. "Did you vote, Mami?! ARE YOU SURE?! We all gotta vote today!"

An older West Indian lady who was behind me in line at the polls only recently became a US citizen, and said she was inspired by Barack to finally do so. This was the first vote she ever cast.

Then there was the guy in front of me, a young brother with a little boy. He actually lives a couple doors down from me but we never really spoke much. Kid couldn't have been any older than four, and Dad took him into the booth. He said he wanted to make sure his son pulled the lever, and I heard him say "you can be just like him one day."

Mom was waiting outside (she'd already voted), and said, "baby we just made history."

I admit it, I cried today. I didn't think I would, but even my stony, cynical self couldn't help it today. I have never seen this many black and brown folk so hopeful. Ever. It's all over my neighborhood. Everyone's pumped up. I heard one guy in the store ask where he could go make phone calls at, so I brought up the campaign site on my iPhone and let him sign up right there.

There's that nagging little voice in the back of my head saying that it won't happen, there's no way "they" will ever let a brother be President of the United States much less one named Barack Obama. I crammed some sweet potato pie in that voice's mouth and am just going to enjoy the ride today. :)