It's Monday morning. The October air is crisp and the sun peeks through the clouds as you stride down the sidewalk, leisurely making your way to class. The leaves that rustle in some trees overhead are flecked with brilliant golds and browns.
Today, you can only take a deep breath and bask in another beautiful Athens morning. And that's when you spot her ' another Athens Rock the Vote zealot, eyes blazing, clipboard in hand. There can be no doubt: She has you in her sights.
The thoughts race through your mind. You are certainly registered to vote in Athens, at your current address, and you have explained that to these sidewalk-stalking fanatics multiple times, at every street corner, every day for weeks. You scramble for any means of defense. You avert your gaze. You pop in your headphones and crank the volume on your iPod. You pull out your phone and pretend to be absorbed in a particularly engaging text message. Before you know it, you're walking in the street, dodging cars in an attempt to avoid the waiting assailant.
But your efforts are in vain. This Registry Roughneck is at your heels and the words come gushing forth like a raging river loosed from the dam that once contained it: ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE
AND IF YOU ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE AT YOUR CURRENT ADDRESS HERE IN ATHENS SO THAT ON ELECTION DAY YOU WILL BE ABLE TO VOTE? The variations are numerous but equally painful to endure.
Let's be clear ' the efforts of these people have been remarkable, and it isn't necessarily that their cause is not a worthy one. They understand the importance of student participation in national elections, and they have every right to take their activism to the streets of Athens. Today is the last day to register to vote in Ohio, so time is getting short.
But really, guys ' if a student is exhibiting every nonverbal cue imaginable in an attempt to stave off your approach, take the hint. There's someone else coming down the sidewalk who would love to hear what you have to say.
Editorials represnt the views of The Post's executive editors.
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