November 4, 2008

It’s the first truly cold night in autumn: November 4, 2008. Off in the distance you can hear the sparse sound of celebratory fireworks. It was quiet for most of the evening, as citizens were glued to their television sets, anxious in anticipation of the upcoming results. Then, almost in an instant, the world was different. Suddenly we were in a different time. From the moment it was final, a calm seemed to wash over this city, as nearly everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. And since then it’s been quiet.