Getting to the Green Stop on the Voting Line.

Getting past the voting line is probably slightly more difficult (tongue-in-cheek) than getting past most of the letterboxes, dogs, gates and driveways (too steep, slippery), in Cork City, north and south.

While I was admiring beautiful laid-out gardens, both professional and home-grown,  I was eventually forced by the amount of scratches and blood loss (tongue-in-cheek); heart-thumping and deafened ears(from the barking);mind-boggling gate latches; dropped leaflets (from the nervous twitches), to have a break at the nearest service station, where the faithful tea (beginning with B), had to be drunk to restore the equilibrium. 

Despite an initial wariness of abuse by certain outspoken individuals at their doors, that was nothing compared to the constant battle with letterboxes, which insisted on taking some flesh in exchange for the release of leaflets into tidy hallways and trying to find the mystifying hidden post-boxes, whose presence was located, inevitably, by our candidate in the South- East with his sensational memory of where to find them, usually in hidden locations. 

The ndividuals at their doors, who might have added to my initial wariness, was surpassed by the graciousness, good manners and general cheer on the part of the public who answered their doors. 

I was also extremely impressed by the welcoming given to the candidates,, as previously mentioned in another blog. The personal interaction just cannot be surpassed. So many said they would vote because they got this personal visit. 

In the last few days, when our knocking must have been irritating,  to say the least, people couldn't have been more gracious and good- humoured. 

It just shows that the general public are far more positive and of good cheer than is given credit. 

In spite of fatigue setting in this week, the will to keep going was surprising.  My hat goes off to the candidates themselves and the canvassers who showed me their limitless stamina and good cheer. 

My thanks goes to the great chats that took place between the door knocking. Time flew and the mind boggled at the chats that took place, not to speak of a new acquired fitness for myself.

The journey was very long for some. It was a  very special journey to help get the candidate to the finish line. We saw beautiful homes, bird-life, flourishing gardens, great trees, manicured parks, wilderness within the city, peaceful, noiseless residences, magazine-style hallways, house-reconstruction crews, security door bells, perfumed air (trees), lush flowers.

There is a discontent among some constituents, it must be said, but problems can be solved and I wish those well, who seem to have a particular negativity. 

Having more councillors might help serve the interests of those who feel ignored or left out. Just a thought, though. 

This journey to the City Council is kind of a mad long version of an interview,  which takes place over and over again for a job, which is badly paid and takes a particularly public-minded person to take it on as a public duty for the rest of us. 

In my opinion they should be paid at least three times the present sum. 

Let's cheer them on today,  tomorrow and from here on.

                                                    

Written by Celine Spengeman, (now a fit canvasser).