The War Room ~ Briefing The Troops

Everybody met at Bonnie's house and we had coffee and bagels before taking seats in the living room. Allison handed out clipboards and pens and then stood by the large flip chart. She outlined the day's task as she flipped pages on the chart. The troops were wearing comfortable shoes and the signature yellow Bonnie Schwartzbaum shirts, then they were divided up into pairs. Maps showed which streets each pair would cover, one person working one side while their partner visited the houses on the other side. There were lists of the last known resident for each house along with their listed party affiliation, whether or not they'd voted in the last election, everything that could be gleaned from the county records, all the information and facts available.

Stacks of hand-out cards were distributed to everybody, then Allison went over what the troops were supposed to say, how to handle recalcitrant residents without alienating them, how to talk up Bonnie's qualifications as well as her ideals and visions for a better City of North Miami. If nobody was home we were warned not to put the cards in a mail box. It was OK to push them through a mail slot. Otherwise tuck them between the door and the door frame near the door know. A few questions were answered, Bonnie gave a pep talk. Water bottles were distributed. It was a sunny hot day. Then everybody went out to their asigned routes. ACTION TIME! We're going to win this one!