you’ve done yet.”
“I haven’t said anything yet!” I said.
“Exactly.”
The woman invited us in, and we spent a few minutes talking to her sons about the protest campaign. Word had gotten around about what we were doing. As we got up to leave, the woman said, “You hear Mayor Petty’s looking for you?”
“No, I haven’t,” I said.
“If he had built a wall and gate, he’d have found us the moment we came to town,” Darla said.
“He’s put out the word,” she said. “Wants to talk with you, I guess.”
“We’ll head down to his office now.”
Mayor Petty smiled just as brightly and shook our hands just as vigorously as he had the last time we’d met him. “Why’re you two stirring up trouble in my town?” “We need to prepare to defend our town. Prepare for the future,” I said. “I’d prefer it if you’d work with us.” “This is about that wall nonsense again? Nobody here wants to be drafted into some kind of work party to build a wall.”
“I bet you could convince them.”
“What I want is to convince you to drop this whole rigmarole. Dividing people against each other isn’t doing the town any favors.”
“I’m not dropping it,” I said.
“Nobody’s going to be forced to waste time building a wall while I’m mayor.”
“Then you should resign.”
“Not going to happen.”
“I’m not dropping it.”
“I’ll ban you from the city.”
I thought a moment before answering. “Good. Do that. The only way you’ll be able to keep me out is by building a wall.”
“Or by ordering you shot on sight.”
Darla and I spoke at once:
“You wouldn’t,” I said.
“If you shoot him, I will end you,” Darla said.
Mayor Petty glowered at us. “Don’t push me.”
“So Yellowstone is claiming another victim,” I said, “democracy in Warren.”
“We’ll hold proper elections when my term is up,” Mayor Petty said, “in two and a half years.”
The mention of elections sparked an idea. “So let the people—your constituents—decide. Hold a special vote on whether or not to build a wall.”
“And if I do?”
“We’ll go away. Win or lose, we’ll quit bothering you, quit trying to stir up public opinion.”
Mayor Petty was silent for a moment. A crafty look shadowed his eyes. “I’ll hold an election, all right. For mayor. You against me. You win, you run the show, build the wall, do whatever you damn well please. I win, you stay out on your uncle’s farm and out of my town.”
“I don’t want to be mayor,” I said. “I want a safe place we can move to, a walled town capable of defending itself.”
“You’re not so excited about wall building when you’re on the hot seat, huh? When you’re the one who’d have to implement your crack-brained plan.”
I thought for a moment. I didn’t want to be mayor, didn’t want to run Warren, didn’t want to do anything but create a safe space for Darla, me, and my family. I certainly wasn’t qualified to be mayor, but could I be any worse than Petty? I would at least consult Ben on military matters, Uncle Paul and Darla on engineering questions, and Dr. McCarthy on medical issues. “Okay,” I said, “I’ll do it.”
Mayor Petty smiled in a way that was more cruel than mirthful. “First Tuesday in January. Ten weeks from now. That suit?”
“Why not next Tuesday?” I said.
“’Cause that’s the way I want it. And I’m the mayor. Everyone who wants to vote’ll meet at St. Ann’s Church. Voting machines won’t work without electric, so we’ll use paper, pens, and an old-fashioned ballot box.”
“We’ll count the votes publicly,” Darla said, “immediately after voting closes. While everyone’s there watching. Won’t even need to lock the ballot box, that way.”
“Agreed.” Mayor Petty rubbed his hands together gleefully. “I’ll beat the pants off you. Wait. Don’t quote me on that. Don’t want anyone to get the idea I’m one of them pedophiles, do I?”
I
“I haven’t said anything yet!” I said.
“Exactly.”
The woman invited us in, and we spent a few minutes talking to her sons about the protest campaign. Word had gotten around about what we were doing. As we got up to leave, the woman said, “You hear Mayor Petty’s looking for you?”
“No, I haven’t,” I said.
“If he had built a wall and gate, he’d have found us the moment we came to town,” Darla said.
“He’s put out the word,” she said. “Wants to talk with you, I guess.”
“We’ll head down to his office now.”
Mayor Petty smiled just as brightly and shook our hands just as vigorously as he had the last time we’d met him. “Why’re you two stirring up trouble in my town?” “We need to prepare to defend our town. Prepare for the future,” I said. “I’d prefer it if you’d work with us.” “This is about that wall nonsense again? Nobody here wants to be drafted into some kind of work party to build a wall.”
“I bet you could convince them.”
“What I want is to convince you to drop this whole rigmarole. Dividing people against each other isn’t doing the town any favors.”
“I’m not dropping it,” I said.
“Nobody’s going to be forced to waste time building a wall while I’m mayor.”
“Then you should resign.”
“Not going to happen.”
“I’m not dropping it.”
“I’ll ban you from the city.”
I thought a moment before answering. “Good. Do that. The only way you’ll be able to keep me out is by building a wall.”
“Or by ordering you shot on sight.”
Darla and I spoke at once:
“You wouldn’t,” I said.
“If you shoot him, I will end you,” Darla said.
Mayor Petty glowered at us. “Don’t push me.”
“So Yellowstone is claiming another victim,” I said, “democracy in Warren.”
“We’ll hold proper elections when my term is up,” Mayor Petty said, “in two and a half years.”
The mention of elections sparked an idea. “So let the people—your constituents—decide. Hold a special vote on whether or not to build a wall.”
“And if I do?”
“We’ll go away. Win or lose, we’ll quit bothering you, quit trying to stir up public opinion.”
Mayor Petty was silent for a moment. A crafty look shadowed his eyes. “I’ll hold an election, all right. For mayor. You against me. You win, you run the show, build the wall, do whatever you damn well please. I win, you stay out on your uncle’s farm and out of my town.”
“I don’t want to be mayor,” I said. “I want a safe place we can move to, a walled town capable of defending itself.”
“You’re not so excited about wall building when you’re on the hot seat, huh? When you’re the one who’d have to implement your crack-brained plan.”
I thought for a moment. I didn’t want to be mayor, didn’t want to run Warren, didn’t want to do anything but create a safe space for Darla, me, and my family. I certainly wasn’t qualified to be mayor, but could I be any worse than Petty? I would at least consult Ben on military matters, Uncle Paul and Darla on engineering questions, and Dr. McCarthy on medical issues. “Okay,” I said, “I’ll do it.”
Mayor Petty smiled in a way that was more cruel than mirthful. “First Tuesday in January. Ten weeks from now. That suit?”
“Why not next Tuesday?” I said.
“’Cause that’s the way I want it. And I’m the mayor. Everyone who wants to vote’ll meet at St. Ann’s Church. Voting machines won’t work without electric, so we’ll use paper, pens, and an old-fashioned ballot box.”
“We’ll count the votes publicly,” Darla said, “immediately after voting closes. While everyone’s there watching. Won’t even need to lock the ballot box, that way.”
“Agreed.” Mayor Petty rubbed his hands together gleefully. “I’ll beat the pants off you. Wait. Don’t quote me on that. Don’t want anyone to get the idea I’m one of them pedophiles, do I?”
I
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