The crowd continues to grow, not enough seating, but that doesn’t seem to bother anyone. If anyone in the crowd is not in favor of removing Mick’s statue from Middle Valley, they’re very much in the minority and unlikely to stay long.
Bitsy taps her glass with her spoon until the room finally falls quiet. (She is so talented!)
“I don’t see a microphone anywhere but … we need to get this done, so I’ll just do it au naturelle,” she says. “Hopefully you will allow my voice to reach the entire confines of the room.”
She waves in my direction.
“You all know our Middle Valley tourism director, Wanda Moreno, very well. Her official position has been to promote tourism in Middle Valley, but we all know that Wanda has been intimately involved many other aspects of city government. She has broad experience in all things Middle Valley.
It is therefore my utmost pleasure to announce to you that, to the benefit of all of us in Middle Valley, Wanda has agreed to toss her hat into the ring to run for mayor!”
Much cheering and clapping. Bitsy taps her glass again.
“Wanda, we would like to hear from you directly. Will you please give us a short preview statement of your plans and intentions?”
More cheering and clapping. More tapping of glasses. I step up next to Bitsy and give the crowd a long look. I feel its warmth and love as I begin to speak.
“Thank you all very much! I’m so happy to undertake the challenge of becoming your mayor and hope to have your assistance in achieving a victory for all of us.”
I run through the stump speech … the “I ams” and “I wills” and “we can alls.” I see Bitsy smiling to my right.
I go on, perhaps longer than I should, but the crowd seems to be with me so I keep at it. I pan across the room, visually assessing the enthusiasm that I see and how their expressions send their feelings back to me.
I like this.
I’m not used to it, but I find it thrilling. I know this is only the bare beginning but I’m pleased with it as a start.
“We have a lot of work to do in upcoming months. I am delighted that Bitsy has signed on to be my campaign manager. And we will certainly need more of you to help with our campaign and make the run successful. Together we will all go ‘North to the Future’.
You’ll hear more from me as the campaign gets organized and the election approaches. Thanks again for your enthusiasm and for being here tonight.”
Bitsy, Cassie and I try to continue talking among ourselves but celebrants mill around us, leaning in to join the conversation and wish me well. Little by little, the crowd thins out and it’s looking like it’s time to call it an evening.
“Great beginning, solid successful evening,” I say, looking toward Bitsy and Cassie.
They agree wholeheartedly.
I open the door to leave, waving to the few people still hanging out at the bar. I have no idea who they are, which is hard to believe since it’s such a small town. Stepping into the cold night, I am jolted out of my fantasy and into the reality of the moment. I allow myself the luxury of thinking my chances are reasonably good, albeit uncertain.
Brrrrrrr.
Jenny Page