will you vote for me

the man

at the door asks me if i'm going

to vote

in the upcoming election.

i shrug.

maybe, i tell him.

but i pretty much

don't like either side

of the aisle.

oh, he says, you're independent.

you could say that,

i guess.

i'm also hungry

and i've got a pie in the oven

that i have

to check on.

he puts his foot in the door

as i''m about

to close it.

will you read these pamphlets

and think about

voting for me?

i'm running for a delegate

seat in the third

district

in the southern

part of the county.

sure i tell him.

but i really have to check on

that pie.

it's next tuesday,

he says. his foot still in the door.

i push hard

to close it,

crunching his foot.

i can hear the sound of a bone

breaking.

finally he pulls away.

i look out the window as 

i set the pie to cool

on the sill.

i see the man limping

to the next door, straightening

his bow tie.