I just got back from early voting at a library close to where I work. I though I could drive over there at lunchtime, run in, vote and run out. WRONG.

So many people; cars parked everywhere, even on the library lawn. A line so long the wait was 2 hours. I stayed and found myself waiting with an assortment of people - lots of young people. An elderly couple fell in behind me; the man had a walker and even though many of us offered to find him a chair he refused, said he didn't mind standing and waiting.

So as often happens when people are standing in line with nothing to do, we started to talk. It was the elderly gentleman with the walker who broke the ice. He stood there and exclaimed:

"This is a bit of a change for me today. I'm 74 years old and have voted Republican my entire life. I'm voting for a Democrat today - I'm voting for Barack Obama."

He went on to say he likes his demeanor and his willingness to work with others even if they disagree, he also said he's a bright man and if he doesn't know the answer, he'll go to the right people to get it. This was definitely not a man who was only voting for Obama to kick Hillary out. He genuinely supports Obama.

Several of us standing there then started talking all at once; about Obama and the reasons why we are supporting him. We carried on a conversation for most of the time we were in line - with excitement. The elderly couple, myself, a young black man and an elderly woman who was voting for McCain. Even she had nice things to say about Obama, so who knows - maybe she changed her mind when she stepped in the booth.

I have never had a voting experience like this. What I experienced today is not something that can be explained by pundits or pollsters. It can't be explained by any of the conventional means often used to indicate voting trends. I can honestly say I had a great time standing in line and came away feeling optimistic about the future of our country.