Breakfast at Friedman's

My friends and I arrived at Friedman’s Deli, on Western Avenue, at about 5:00 a.m. on the morning of the 1970 general election.

 We went there because we were told that’s where all the Democratic precinct captains ate breakfast before the polls opened. We were pols just like they were, even though we were campaigning for a Republican (Alon Jeffrey, who was running for State Senator), so we dined at the same place they did. We decided that was part of the Election Day routine.

 (We weren’t Republicans, we were Independents, and Jeffrey was endorsed by IVI – the Independent Voters of Illinois).

 And we all wore “Jeffrey” buttons. We were clearly outsiders in that place, but we didn’t care. One older fellow sat on a stool glaring at us the whole time, as if intent on keeping an eye on a group of intruders. 

 We finished eating about the same time they did and piled into my car. I dropped everybody off at their polling places then parked on Artesian Avenue outside the polls where I would spend the rest of a very long day.