It's Sunday, June 9, and Saxony is in the throes of local and European elections. But while many citizens have already made their way to the polling station, there is always someone who doesn't remember that today is an important day until 6 pm. Let's assume our fictional protagonist is called Klaus. And Klaus is having one of those days.
The day starts innocently enough. Klaus sleeps in comfortably and enjoys a hearty breakfast with fresh bread rolls and a latte macchiato, which he prepares at home. Afterwards, he loses himself in the endless expanses of his social network, scrolling through cat videos and commenting on his friends' latest vacation photos. Time flies by.
Around midday, Klaus decides it's a good day for a long walk in the park. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and all seems right with the world. A spontaneous visit to the ice cream parlor rounds off the afternoon, and while he enjoys his stracciatella ice cream, he meets up with old school friends. The brief chat turns into an invitation to a barbecue.
Late in the afternoon, Klaus returns home and briefly remembers that there was something important after all. But first he has to continue watching his favorite series - after all, he's been waiting all week to find out what happens next. A few episodes later, he happens to glance at the clock and sees: 5:45 pm. And then he remembers - the election!
Panic breaks out. Klaus frantically throws on the first pair of pants he finds and rushes out the door. As he runs to the ballot box, he thinks about all the little things that have held him up today:
- Breakfast: Sure, it could have been done quicker. But who can resist fresh bread rolls and a perfectly frothed latte macchiato?
- The walk in the park: a bit of exercise and fresh air are important after all. And the ice cream... Well, life's too short to miss out on ice cream.
- Meeting up with old friends: You never know when you'll see them next. And an impromptu barbecue is also a nice Sunday activity.
- The show: Totally unimportant really, but how could he miss the dramatic twist that everyone will be talking about tomorrow anyway?
Klaus runs, gasps and finally drags himself to the polling station at 6:05 pm - only to find that it's already closed. The elections are over and Klaus hasn't cast his vote.
Why is voting so important on this day? Unlike a latte macchiato, a walk or even a barbecue, you can't put off voting. There is only this one time slot in which you can cast your vote. If you miss it, you have to wait another few years to have an impact on the political landscape again. A true democrat therefore plans ahead - or has already made provisions by postal vote.
And so Klaus stands in front of the closed polling station and vows to be better organized next time. After all, he has learned today that everything can be postponed, except voting. All right, and maybe the next season finale of his favorite series.
