I am out knocking on doors on Eagle Street with my little band of helpers. Today there are five of us ready to confront the unknown. Our task is to get my lawn signs up in high visibility locations and to listen to what the voters have to say.  

As usual there are plenty of Vegh signs in front of empty properties. This is his modus operandi. We knock on the doors to see if anyone could conceivably be living there and with no sign of life we move on. Vegh’s signs stay in place, proclaiming support from a non-existent resident.

Now I am talking to a fascinating worldly-wise guy, sitting on his porch, cigarette in hand.

He is not voting because his vote won’t change the system. The people with the money and the power call the tune.

Money Talks

I agree with him. Money talks.

But he has the power, through his vote, to elect people like me. And I won’t sell out. I tell him I‘ll rattle the bars of the cage. And I’ll get things done.

I try my best but he won’t take my lawn sign. He has given up. Alienated from the whole system.

Now I am talking to an angry man. He doesn’t want to listen. He retreats into his house refusing even to talk to me.

I say:

“What is it you are so upset about? I won’t be back here again so why not talk to me? What’s the problem?”

He disappears into his house, muttering.

Now I am talking at length to a man who is clearly interested in what I am saying. I have a very clear idea of what needs to change.

Now he tells me he didn’t vote for Tom Vegh at the last election.

Check me out on Google

I am encouraged. I leave him my lawn sign. Check me out on Google. Visit my website. And if you don’t like what you see take it down.

I use this formulation a lot. And it works.

It’s my last call of the evening. I really, really want my lawn sign in this location.

I spend a long time talking to this voter, fielding his questions, making my case.

Pretending

Believe me, I say, I don’t need this job. But I can’t let Tom Vegh sell us out to the developers while pretending he is on our side. 

Eventually he takes my lawn sign.

My friend who is close by hears everything and says I could sell ice to the Inuit.

He is wrong.

I am just telling it as I see it.

And people can take me or leave me as they choose.

Gordon Prentice 6 October 2022