Elections have been a thing for me since the 1980's, even before I could vote.

The first politican to captivate was Philippine President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos. Marcos was an iconic president, so when I rode my school bus (California Bus Lines) in 1981, I could picture his black, red, white and blue posted in my mind, even when it was not a national election year.

I did not read the books ghost-written in his name.
It was 1998 when I started leafing through Tadhana, which was written by professors from Marcos' and my alma mater, The University of the Philippines.

My first ever Massachusetts ballot was cast in 2004. I voted for a minor Democratic Party candidate for the primary.

I attended a talk featuring this candidate in the Radisson Hotel in Stuart Street.

In Porter Square, I made a cell phone call to the Grassroots Democrats office. The Grassroots Democrats refused to hire me. The person I spoke with on the phone said my voice was too shaky for the job.

Election EVE 2004:
I had worked my shift in Subway Sandwiched. From Framingham Center, I walked to the Logan Express bus terminal.

I rode the bus to the airport.
I had three hours to wait for Nancy Aronson.

Scott Vitkovic flipped out on me.
I had no place to stay around Cambridge or Somerville.

I reported to the Hemenway school poll site by 9 a.m.