My candidacy is now public.
We announced with very little hoopla – no big groups, no cheering. Just a note in the company newsletter, the wagging tongues of our chattering classes, and a few well placed media drops in print, online, and on TV that proved fruitful.
Name recognition in this town gets you everywhere, and our family name and the business, built on the stellar reputation of my father, are known. I shouldn’t need a rally to introduce my candidacy at this point.
Reaction has been good, but we’ll need to up the ante later when we set up our organization.
Still haven’t heard back from Elyse about being my campaign manager – we’ll celebrate when that happens, hopefully in a week or two. I don’t prefer waiting any longer than that. I’m thinking we can differentiate ourselves as the “home girls of Middle Valley.”
I’d be honored to have Elyse on my team if government proves to be in our future.
I feel as if I have too much time to think about this – work is slow, to say the least. Carson’s house is the only significant property in play. I’m at a loss as to how to move that property. The price reduction a few weeks ago brought out a few potential buyers but didn’t help much.
Let’s face it – the place is tainted. Who wants to live in what looks like a house of horrors? That would be exactly no one.
I’ve asked staff to try hard to come up with ideas that might help move the property, but I’m not expecting miracles.
I think I need to bring my expertise to the topic and encourage Elyse to simply tear it down. It may be, despite my team’s best efforts, our only way out. The property alone is worth a ton, and I’d like for the firm to cut its losses around it, too, but none of this is my call.
I’m meeting Elyse for lunch at the Riverside. I’m deep into problem-solving mode as I walk down River Road – maybe the cold air coming off the water will clear my head and give me direction. One thing is certain: I must resolve these issues today, pivotal as each decision is.
I walk in, the din of the lunchtime crowd filtering around me. I’m awash in hot air.
“Cassie! What’s your recommendation for lunch today?”
She points to the decorative chalkboard to her right.
I nod. “First. I need to warm up. Start me up with a glass of your house Chardonnay.”
She pours and the hostess leads me to a table in the window.
I’m a bit early, Elyse isn’t here yet. Halfway through my wine, Elyse comes in, shivering as she closes the door. She extends her arms and I’m happy to see her.
“I can’t wait for Spring,” she says as Cassie comes up to the table. “May I have a margarita?”
I motion to Cassie for another Chardonnay and get down to business.
“So .. have you come to a decision? Will you be my campaign manager?”
She nods and smiles. “Yes … we’ll knock it out of the park! Wanda and company won’t have a chance!”
I grab her hands as Cassie brings the fresh drinks. “Fantastic! A toast to our victory! And to working together in the mayor’s office!”
That started our lunch on a good note. Cassie’s special for today added to that – a delightful bacon-wrapped sausage, covered in a spicy chipotle sauce, and smothered in Cassie’s home-made tomato, pepper, and onion relish. Fries on the side.
“Now then …” I go on with trepidation. “I’d like to talk about Carson’s house. This stigma – and that is the right word: stigma – I’m almost certain we can’t sell it as is, or even rent it. And, unfortunately, I don’t think it’ll work as an office or a business. I think we need to just bite the bullet and have the house demolished.”
Elyse leans back in her chair. She seems resigned, but I can’t tell.
“I mean, in my professional opinion … I don’t mean to propose this just to get it out of the way of our political future. I think it’s for the best. How do you feel? … I mean, I certainly understand if you disagree or if you want to wait a while and think it over …”
Cassie brings our lunches and we wallow in Cecil’s creations. I’m loving the sausage. Talk of Carson’s house is tabled … but just for the moment. Elyse is obviously enjoying her lunch but is quiet as she picks at it, clearly preoccupied and mulling over my proposal.
Finally, as we near finishing our lunch, she opens up.
“Believe me, I certainly don’t want that house lingering in our midst as we move forward. Tearing it down is a drastic step but I want to get beyond this part of my life. I may get less for the property than Carson paid but …”
She inhales deeply and takes a long sip of her drink.
“Let’s set it up and do it and move on. That’s my response. I’m with you. Done deal.”
I smile and grab her hand to hold and squeeze.
“I know it isn’t easy.”
Elyse shakes her head. “No, it’s not, but it seems he’s caused enough damage around here. Time to rebuild.”
I hastily direct the conversation onward to other campaign and organizational matters. The relief is real, and our work is starting off well.
After a final drink, we adjourn and plan for lunch here again tomorrow.
The future awaits – finally!
For both of us.