Her note was succinct and direct.
Mr. Rossie … My team and I are embarking on a door-to-door blitz to raise money for the statue memorializing Nick Righteous and we’d like to offer you an exclusive invitation to join us as we go from house to house around town. Please arrive in the courthouse square at 8AM Friday so the commissioned van can collect everyone and depart on time. We’ll discuss parameters on-site and in the van in route to our first destination. Please confirm your participation. Mayor Charlotte Granger
I’ve always been a fan of science fiction – never could get enough of Star Trek as a teenager. Jetting off to different dimensions, and the whole molecular transport concept? Who wouldn’t want to say “Beam me up, Scotty” while on a bad date or dozing off in some board meeting?
As a young kid, the idea that a door could open and we could be transported to an entirely different place or time was seemingly left to priests and those who lived lives closer to God, where sins were forgiven and the next day you were redeemed into a new form or mindset.
But this …
These weren’t just doors opening – these were opportunities to sit in everyone’s living rooms and actually witness these discussions. This was electrifying, largely because this notion of a statue in honor of that creep who left Cassie in the dust is, for lack of a better term, bunk.
Why would we want that here? And why was the mayor pushing this so hard?
It didn’t make any sense.
Then it occurred to me: Am I some sort of pawn here? Why me? Why not the girl from national TV? Why not John?
Needless to say, I chose my words carefully. “Mayor Granger, I will be there by 8AM. Thank you for the opportunity. Bernie Rossie”
So beam me up already, Mayor.
Gunnar Olafsson