Election

The guy was looking at me like he meant it, so I walked over to him. Will you vote for me, he asked. Why? I said. In the election, he asked. I’m running, he said. Will you vote for me? Why? I said. I believe in the things that you believe in, he said. You and I are one, he said. That makes sense to me, I said, where do you sign me up, so he took me to the voting booth and held my hand while I pressed the button. The button was red and warm, and the name on it was not my own, but it was somehow familiar. When the guy had seen I’d pressed the button he smiled, and then he laughed, and then he cackled. Why are you laughing? I said. Why are you laughing? I said again. Finally, he responded. I don’t believe in anything you believe in, he said. I am the opposite of you, he said, and now I am going to win the election and you will be my slave. Why? I asked him. Why? I asked him again, but he just laughed and laughed. I left the voting booth and walked to the subway. I was about to go into the station, but the guy was looking at me like he meant it, so I walked over to him. Will you vote for me, he asked. Why? I said. In the election, he asked. I’m running, he said. Will you vote for me? Why? I said. I believe in the things that you believe in, he said. You and I are one, he said. That makes sense to me, I said, where do you sign me up, so he took me to the voting booth and held my hand while I pressed the button. The button was red and warm, and although the name on it was my own it was somehow unfamiliar. I pressed the button, and when I pressed the button he frowned, and then he cried, and then he bawled. Why are you crying? I said. Why are you crying? I said again. Finally, he responded. I believe in nothing you believe in, he said. I am the opposite of you, he said, and now I am going to lose the election and I will be your slave. Why? I asked him. Why? I asked him again, but he just cried and cried, and I realized I was his master, so I told him to wait outside of the subway and ask me to vote for him.