Chapter 12 - The Blind Side

Cain was feeling frustrated.  It had been several weeks and he had not heard back from Bob.

“I thought I was convincing enough, but he is just not the ordinary kind of guy who wants to be a mayor.  He lacks a ‘do anything to win’ attitude, so he is just about impossible to manipulate or buy off,” Cain spoke softly to no one.

His desk looked disorganized for him.  As elections were less than two weeks away, he had stacks of disheveled papers across his desk and a folding table he had put against the north wall.  Each stack represented a city level position that he was monitoring.

The only stack that appeared to be well organized was right in front of him, centered on his desk.  The top sheet had emblazoned ‘HILLIARD MAYOR’.

“Amber,” Cain shouted for his assistant.

The redheaded aide quickly entered the room.  She appeared to be surprised by his summons.

“I don’t usually shout for her,” thought Cain.

“I’m sorry,” Cain said to Amber as he held his hands outward, palms upward.   His elbows straddled the Hilliard Mayor stack.  “I am letting my frustration get to me.”

“Have you found anything, anything at all, that we can hang over this Griffith fellow’s head?”

Amber’s shoulders drooped.  She lowered her head, but not so low that she was unable to still make eye contact.

“The only thing I could find was a woman…” Amber began but was cut off by Cain.

“A woman!  Why didn’t you tell me?  That is the perfect flaw for us to find in him!”

Cain grinned but quickly sobered up when he saw that Amber was not smiling.

“This woman was fired by Griffith from the plant where he works.  In fact, in the years that he has been there, she has been the only employee he ever fired.

“So, I researched this from every angle.  I looked for a sex angle, and couldn’t find one.  He is a saint and a gentleman to every woman in the plant, even to the wives of his male workers.

“I looked for a prejudice angle, thinking maybe she was part of an ethnic group he hated.  But, researching the plant, they have one of the most ethnically diverse workforces in the entire state.

“The only thing I could find was possibly an act of favoritism on his part.  It seems that he approved an extension of benefits beyond the standard benefits.  When I got the details, I found that it was for employee assistance counseling.  He arranged for her to get more sessions than the benefits covered, but she didn’t use them.  It’s not clear, but he may have paid for those out of his own pocket.”

“You say it was for counseling sessions?”

Cain’s curiosity was piqued.

“What type of counseling?”

Amber shuffled through the papers she was holding, evidently searching for the answer.  She flipped several pages over as she perused the content on the backside.

“I can’t really tell.”

Cain let out a short snort.

“Then you need to find out.  Have you reached out to this person?”

“No,” Amber sheepishly replied.  “But I will get on that right away.”

“Good thing I got Hughes to talk his sick cousin into running again.  At least we have an opponent against Griffith.  This woman, though, may be his blind side that we can hit against.”

“Excuse me,” a strange voice interrupted their conversation, “I’m not sure if you remember me, Mr. Johnson.  My name is Dennis, Dennis Johansen.  I work as an aide for the governor.”

“What’s he doing here?”  Cain thought.

“Certainly, Dennis, I remember you,” Cain put on his biggest, sincere appearing, smile.  He crossed the room from behind his desk to the entry, holding out his right hand for a handshake.  “Please come in and have a seat.”

Dennis was well-dressed.  His jet-black hair was slicked back, perfectly in place.  Though he did not acknowledge her, Amber seemed ready to give him all the attention he wanted.

“Would you like some coffee, Dennis, uh, I mean, Mr. Johansen?”

Amber blushed as she appeared to become overcome by her forwardness.

Her voice startled him.  Dennis turned to Amber to respond.

“Yes, some fresh coffee would be nice.”

Amber started to head out of the room when she stopped suddenly and turned to Cain.

“Would you like some coffee, Mr. Johnson?”

Cain noticed an odd look in her eyes that he had only seen once before.  She was generally very confident, but something about Dennis seemed to throw her.

“Yes, I would,” he answered curtly.

He sweepingly gestured with his right hand, palm upward for Dennis to sit in one of the chairs in front of his desk.  He noticed that his visitor was holding a briefcase with the state of Ohio emblem on the front.

“I apologize for not phoning ahead,” Dennis apologized.  “Being so close to election week, and,” he gazed across the office, “judging by the look of things, you are quite busy.”

“Honestly,” Cain cut in, “I am surprised to see you, since your boss, the governor, is in the opposite party, though he has crossed the lines a few times. That seems odd to me.  Doesn’t that seem odd to you?”

Dennis looked down as he smiled.  He shifted slightly in his chair before raising his head.

“Yes, I imagine that it does seem odd.  At first I questioned many of these unusual party crossovers of his.  Just recently, he made his most senior staffers aware of his personal agenda for the remainder of this term.”

Now, Cain was intrigued.  He sensed that this personal agenda might have something to do with Johansen’s unexpected visit.

Leaning on his elbows, Cain moved in towards Dennis.  He paused a minute to size up the man across the desk from him, then began.

“Are you here as my ally or my adversary, Mr. Johansen?”

“Oh,” Dennis chuckled, “I am without a doubt your ally.  My boss, on the other hand, is your adversary.”

Cain continued to size up the man and consider his motives.

Amber gently knocked on the door and then entered without invitation.  Again, she used the tray emblazoned with the Democratic party logo to carry the coffee mugs, also decorated with the party logo.  She placed Dennis’ mug directly in front of him on the corner of the desk.  Cain’s, she placed directly in front of him.  Then she made her way towards the door.  She did glance over her shoulder about halfway to the door to see if Dennis might be giving her a glance, but he wasn’t.

“Is there anything more you need from me?”

“No thank you, Amber,” Cain replied in a dismissing tone.

Dennis reached for his coffee mug.  He glanced at the logo and smiled.  Then he took a gulp of the fresh coffee and quickly put the mug down.

“Let me get to the reason why I am here.” Dennis leaned in towards Cain who had sat back in his plush chair when Amber exited.

“You are going to lose the mayoral race in Hilliard.  The governor is seeing to that,” placing a palm on the desk, Dennis had rhythmically tapped to emphasis his words.

Cain placed his right hand on his chin.  He considered his next words before speaking.

“Now, why would the governor care about Hilliard?”

“The governor has vetted Bob Griffith and has assigned one of his staff to assist in the campaign, since he is new to politics,” Dennis continued to lean in, though he stopped tapping the desk.

“This guy, Griffith, is squeaky clean.  There isn’t even a traffic ticket in his background.  Besides, his wife’s cousin is also on the governor’s staff, so he has an inside route.

“The governor sees him as a perfect poster boy for the party and wants to throw the weight of his own name behind him when the time is right.

“Because this is the end of his political career, the governor is focusing on leaving a legacy.  For some reason, Griffith has gotten his attention and he wants to make him a part of his legacy.”

Cain looked off to his left as he mentally sifted through this news.  Quickly, he returned his gaze to Dennis as a thought struck him.  He leaned forward, positioning himself just inches from Dennis’ face.

“Why would you bring this to me?  What is in this for you?”

Dennis smiled.

“It’s as if he wanted me to ask that question,” Cain thought.

“I want to land on the winning side.  Once the governor is gone the only moderately strong Republican candidate is Mark Hershey from the Cleveland area.  He likely would be able to ride on the governor’s coattails, at least the governor thinks so, but he is only a one-hit wonder.  He won’t last long.

“The time is now to start weakening the Republican party, before the governor leaves office.  It shouldn’t be too difficult to weaken his legacy, since there are no viable candidates to begin to fill his shoes.

“Hilliard will be the first battleground, that is if you are up to the fight.  What do you say, Mr. Johnson?”

Dennis’ smile was gone.  His demeanor was serious.  There was a determination that permeated his personality.

Cain sat back and clasped his hands.  Before his back hit the chair, he began to speak.

“So, you want to be on the winning side, you say.  Well, let me ask you this, Mr. Johansen, what are you willing to do to earn your place on the winning side?”

“This should be interesting,” Cain thought.

“I will feed you information concerning the election in Hilliard and other elections that the governor has targeted for his legacy.  I ask that you not reveal me as your source.”

Dennis leaned back and clasped his hands.

“You will not win Hilliard, but we can frustrate Griffith.  In the process, we might locate his moral or ethical weak points and effectively stop him from advancing through the party.  You see, the governor needs someone dynamic, charismatic, and intelligent to lead the next generation.  He has very few options, but Griffith is at the top of the list.”

Cain looked up as he considered this Hilliard situation.

“Why do you feel that Griffith is a threat to the future of the Democratic party in Ohio?  As mayor of Hilliard, what threat could he be?”

The edges of Dennis’ mouth turned downward.

“I am surprised that you have not seen the possibilities here, Mr. Johnson.  Remember that the governor was only the mayor of Reading in Hamilton County before becoming governor.  He expects history to repeat itself and so should you.”

Cain narrowed his eyes, pondering this insight.

“Why hadn’t I realized that myself,” thought Cain.

“So, what are you proposing we do,” Cain emphasized the word ‘we’.

“I will continue to work on the governor’s staff.  With my inside information, you can be proactive in strategies against candidates, like Griffith.  I will do this for the remainder of the governor’s term.  At that time, with your help, I will find a place in the Democratic party as it takes Ohio by storm, as we lead the change.”

Cain lifted his left hand and rubbed the back of his neck.  He loved to be in control and with this man’s help, he might be able to gain greater measures of it.  He began to nod his head.

“Ok, I will need…” Cain was interrupted by Dennis reaching into his briefcase and handing him a folder.

“Here is my resume and all of my current contact information.  I only ask that you not contact me through official channels.  If the governor were to catch wind that I was working with you, I would be cut loose and be of little value to you from the outside.”

Cain reached out with left hand to take the folder.  He held out his right hand, offering a handshake.

“I believe we understand each other, Dennis.  Let’s see if we can make this work.”

Chapter 11 – The Path of Least Resistance

“I just started brewing coffee, Bob.  Would you like some as soon as it is ready?”

Though he had been lost in his thoughts, Bob’s mind immediately surrendered his focus at the sound of Dixie’s sweet voice.

“I know you just got home, but I thought you might want to share some coffee and talk.  I am anxious to hear how your meeting went,” Dixie smiled as she greeted Bob with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.  She wrapped her left hand around his right arm and gently pulled him to the kitchen table.

Bob still felt a bit dazed from the meeting with Cain and Hughes.  Mindlessly, he sat in his usual chair.  He saw a spoon at his place setting and began to idly fidget with it.

As Dixie brought two mugs over to the table, Bob worked to gather his focus.

“If I am willing to dance with the devil, I can be guaranteed to be the next mayor of Hilliard,” Bob’s face broke out in a grimace as he uttered these words.

To his surprise, Dixie had no reaction.  Her beautiful eyes just looked back at him and appeared to be urging him to continue.

“This Johnson fellow who set up this meeting, is the head of the county Democratic party.  He offered me the support of the party if I would, in return, commit to advance the party’s agenda in Hilliard,” Bob leaned towards Dixie as he scooted up in his chair.

“And, get this, Dixie, he even committed to guarantee that I would win the election.”

Bob paused to let Dixie respond.  He thought he would either get a shocked reaction or a joyous one.  To his disappointment, she still showed no hint of a reaction.

“I can truthfully say,” Dixie reached out and placed her right hand on top of Bob’s left hand, “that I am not surprised.  I did not expect it to happen this quickly, though.”

Bob tilted his head, squinted his eyes, and paused briefly with his lips slightly separated as he considered how to respond.

“You sound confident,” Bob said the words slowly as he was thinking what to say.  “It is as if you knew this was going to happen.”

Dixie let out a short blast of breath as she looked down for the first time during this conversation.  She, also, appeared to be considering her next words.

“Bob, you are a good man,” Dixie looked up to make eye contact, “You are fair, honest, and you really do care about other people.  While I doubt that many people would disagree that those are the qualities they want to see in their elected officials, there is more to being an elected official than that.

“Up to now, I have not spoken to you about politics.  Our discussions have been centered on the decision of whether to run for mayor or not.  We have not talked about what to expect should you become mayor.”

Bob had placed his right hand over his mouth and chin and he intently focused on Dixie’s words.  A deep, unintended exhale escaped through his lips.

“Being mayor isn’t going to be a job like the one you have at the plant.  Politics is not a respecter of persons, rank, or experience.  Being in the public eye, whether the public is the people of Hilliard, the state of Ohio, or the world, means that some people will not like you because they are dissatisfied with the office you serve in.

“Bob,” she squeezed his left hand, “you love to serve people.  You feel you have done a valuable thing when you are able to help someone.  You live for those moments and find your meaning and purpose in them.”

Bob looked down for a moment as her words made him feel exposed and vulnerable.

“She knows me better than anyone,” Bob thought.

“But,” Dixie paused, so Bob looked up once again into her eyes, “politics is not going to be that way. It is a world of compromise.  The goals and ambitions you have will be a moving target as issues and the agendas of others crash onto your shoulders.

“I believe you are going to make a great mayor.  I believe that with all my heart.  You need to know that I believe that!  Because of the politics, you are going to need to change some things inside of you.  I am not saying you should change your values or desire to help and watch out for others.  You are going to have to change how you get things done.”

“Change how I get things done,” Bob slowly repeated the words, then paused.

“What do mean, Dixie?  What kind of changes do you mean?”

Dixie gave a slight smile and nod.

“You are going to face many, many more situations, like the one you faced today.  Because of them, you are going to need to revisit your values and see if you are applying them to every situation and opportunity that presents itself to you.

“Now, Mr. Johnson, he offered to guarantee that you would win the election, is that right?”

“Yes,” Bob nodded.

“But, what will it cost you?  What will you have to do, Bob, to get his support?  More importantly, how do you feel about the price he is asking you to pay?”

Bob stiffened his shoulders and set his jaw.

“I can tell that you know what to do,” Dixie squeezed his left hand, again.

“I guess I could use some help.  I have had my focus only on the decision to run for mayor, not the elements of politics.  I need to be prepared for that.  It is better,” Bob nodded, “to be prepared, if I win the election, to do the job and handle the political side of it well.”

The doorbell chimed, surprising Bob.  Dixie smiled and stood, making her way to the front door.  He noticed that she was wearing a new outfit that made her look trim.

“Hi, Wade,” Dixie said sweetly.

“I haven’t come too early, have I?”

Bob wasn’t sure that he recognized the voice of this ‘Wade’ fellow.  It sounded to him as if Dixie were expecting him.

“No, in fact, your timing is perfect!”

The two of them talked as if they knew each other well.  They asked one another about the health of their parents, as well as siblings.

“They sound as if they are related,” thought Bob.

“I know that you haven’t seen one another since the wedding,” Dixie led Wade to the kitchen table, “which is unfortunate, but I believe that now is a good time to get reacquainted.

“Bob, I know that our wedding was a whirlwind, so, you may not remember all of my family members.  This is my cousin, Wade, Wade Simmons.”

Bob immediately stood and warmly greeted their visitor.

“It is so good to have you in our home, Wade.”

“Thank you, Bob, I would have come sooner, but my calendar had been pretty full.  As soon as Dixie let me know, I stopped taking on anything new or new appointments until I could come help you, first.”

Bob was puzzled.  He looked at Dixie and she immediately turned her focus towards Wade.

“Here, Wade, have a seat.  Do you still drink coffee?”

She gestured to Wade to sit at the chair at the end of the table which would put him between her and Bob.  He nodded with a grin on his face.

“I don’t know how I would ever function without it!”

Gracefully, Dixie crossed the kitchen as she grasped another mug and the coffee pot.  Bob noticed for the first time, that his mug was empty.  He had been so focused on their conversation, he hadn’t even reached for it.

Bob now remembered his sense of confusion.  He turned towards Wade as he fingered his coffee mug handle after Dixie had filled it.

“So, what brings you here, Wade?”

Wade’s shoulders twitched and he leaned back.  His eyes darted back and forth as he appeared to be surprised by Bob’s question.  He leaned forward again with a look of determination in his eyes.

“I can tell that Dixie has not shared with you, yet.”  He glanced over at her as she was standing near Bob.  “Some things never change.  She still plays her cards close to the vest.”

Dixie put her hand on Bob’s shoulder, gave him a knowing look, then sat at the table.  There was something about her that commanded the attention of both men.  She had a strength that attracted Bob to her and she was now allowing that quality to shine.

“I called Wade about a month ago and told him that you might be running for mayor, here in Hilliard.  At first, I was just hoping to get some general advice from him but as we talked, he made me more aware of the nature of politics.”

Now, she turned towards Wade.

“You really opened my eyes to see another perspective of public service.  I, like Bob, thought it was about choosing to do good things and people would be pleased.  I wasn’t aware of the challenges to personal values that a public official faced because of the politics.”

Bob shifted in his chair then interrupted.

“Wade, what do you do?  What kind of work are in that makes you so aware of politics?”

Tilting his head and returning a quizzical look to Bob, Wade then turned to Dixie.

“You really have not told him anything!”

A sly smile crossed Wade’s face.  Dixie returned a confident smile, then both turned to face Bob.

“Bob,” Wade leaned into him, “I am on the staff of the governor of Ohio.  I have been in and around politics for over fifteen years.  I know what is good with politics.  I know what is bad with politics.  I am aware of the political condition of almost every city and county in this state and, in some cases, beyond.

“I love my job.  I love my work.  I get to help people every day improve their life’s conditions.  Sometimes, I do it by saying ‘yes’ and sometimes, many times, by saying ‘no’.  I work on a team that advises the governor on practically every issue that comes across his desk or might come across his desk.  So, you could say that I have seen it all.”

Bob was stunned.  He had never heard Dixie speak of Wade.

“How is it she never shared with me about Wade?”  Bob thought.

“Well,” Bob spoke slowly and thoughtfully, “I do appreciate your willingness to give us some of your time.”

Wade smiled as he clasped his hands, “I want to be here.  I want to help you and Dixie.”

“I can’t imagine that we would take up too much of your time,” Bob answered.  “Your work with the governor sounds really important compared to the work of the mayor of Hilliard.  We wouldn’t want to keep you from it very long.”

Again, Wade turned to Dixie.  He shook his head as if he were scolding her.

“You really haven’t told him anything!”

Wade turned back to Bob.  Placing his hands, palms downward on the table, he leaned in close to Bob.

“The governor and I have had several discussions about you, Bob.  When Dixie contacted me to share you were thinking of running for mayor, I shared it with the governor.  See, he is in the last sixteen months of his last term as governor.  He is planning on retiring and not seeking any further political offices.  But he is concerned with leaving a solid legacy.

“One of our discussions was a conference call, the governor, me, and Dixie.  The governor asked a lot of questions about your character, even though he knew he was speaking with the person who was most inclined to think positively of you

“During that conversation, the governor asked about your current employment and how you were performing there.  Dixie suggested he contact Evan Schmitt to avoid any bias she might have.  Dixie’s own better character was showing with that suggestion, so the governor decided to act.  He called Mr. Schmitt and got feedback from him that was consistent with Dixie’s comments on your character.  By the way, he asked Schmitt to not share with you and judging by your reaction, he didn’t share.”

Bob was stunned.

“How could I have not known that all this was happening?”

“This kind of thing happens all the time,” Wade reassured Bob.  “In fact, I imagine that you have already experienced this vetting process between Charlie Hughes and Cain Johnson.”

“But,” Bob blurted out, “how did you know about them?”

“The governor knows a lot about what is going on throughout the state.  Because of his many years in public service, he has developed quite a pipeline for information.  Of course, it didn’t hurt that Dixie was keeping me informed, too.”

Wade paused for a moment, appearing to be catching his breath.  Bob’s mind was spinning like a wild ride at Six Flags.  Wade then leaned back and folded his arms.

“So now, Bob, is your moment of decision.  The governor has sent me here to help.  As family, I want to help you even more.  I am sure that Cain Johnson offered to help you, as well.  You won’t need to move forward without help from someone.  The question is, who’s help are you going to accept.”

“Bob,” Dixie interjected, “you mentioned dancing with the devil.  I assume that the devil you meant was Cain Johnson.  Please understand, that I will support you in whatever decision and whatever direction you choose to go.  I don’t see this as a political party decision, but a personal moral decision.

“If something feels wrong to you, your faith, our faith, teaches us to not proceed.  It is highly likely that whatever it is, it is a wrong decision.  I have never seen you do anything that you had reservations about and I find that integrity very,” she paused, “attractive.

“Never have I seen you simply take the path of least resistance.  I can count on you to do what is right.  I don’t mean to sound like I am leading you to a certain decision, but I must say that it does seem clear to me.”

Bob jumped in, “Dixie, I am caught off guard that you did so much of this on your own without me, but I can see why.  You let me have the experience as a self-test of my motives, as well as my values.

“Wade, are you willing to guarantee me that I will win the election for the mayor of Hilliard?”

A look of shock first crossed Wade’s face.  He looked to his left, as if searching for words.

“This is what Cain Johnson promised me if I would do his bidding,” Bob added.

“I’m sorry, Bob, but if you want a promise like that, I cannot help you,” Wade replied downcast.

Bob reached over and placed a hand on Wade’s shoulder.  Looking him in the eye, Bob continued.

“That is the answer I want to hear.  This election needs to be won, not manipulated.  I will not accept a position I have not done the work to earn.

“Wade, what do we do next?”

Chapter 10 - Let the Politics Begin

Bob felt awkward.  It wasn’t as if he were used to being summoned.  Evan regularly had impromptu meetings and pulled him off whatever he was doing at the time.  But this was different.  He knew Evan, he did not know this Johnson guy.

As he entered the Franklin County Democratic Party headquarters, Bob was not impressed.  He found the office to be devoid of much color.  It all appeared bland to him.  He thought that there would be at least some red, white, and blue bunting set out.  Even the walls were just a boring eggshell white.

On the far wall, instead of pictures that might indicate life, there was a huge map of Franklin County.  There were little flags with the Democratic Party emblem punched into the wall over top the names of most of the cities.

“That appears impressive,” Bob thought, “in a very unimaginative way.”

It reminded Bob of the types of posters and visual images his company used to implement.  The intention was to motivate and encourage the employees, but they usually were completely ignored as they just blended in.  That was one of the things that he immediately convinced Evan to change.

A young blonde was seated at a desk just inside the front door.  The rest of the office appeared to be one huge room.  There was a doorway in the back corner of the room, and on the other side of the back was an entry to what appeared to be a copy and supply room.

“Can I help you, sir?”

Bob noticed on her desk was a nameplate.  Her name was Sheila.  No last name, just Sheila.

“Yes, Sheila, you can definitely help me.  My name is Bob Griffith and I am here to see Mr. Johnson.”

Formality was the rule of the office.  Sheila nodded her head and picked up her desk phone.  Almost immediately, a phone rang at a desk less than twenty feet away, yet, near the back of the room.  The attractive redhead picked up the ringing phone and listened as Sheila announced Bob’s arrival.  He could hear Sheila’s voice echoing out of the phone in the back.

Without saying a word in response, the redhead stood from her desk and approached Bob.  She seemed to have a measure of elegance to her walk which caused Bob to respect her.

“Mr. Griffith,” Amber held out her right hand for the obligatory handshake.  “I am Amber.  We spoke on the phone.”

Deciding to maintain formalities, Bob extended his own hand and gave Amber’s a firm shake.

“Yes, ma’am,” Bob nodded.

“I hope my hand isn’t sweaty,” thought Bob.  “I don’t want her to think I am intimidated by any of this.”

“Please,” Amber made a sweeping gesture back towards her desk, “follow me.  Mr. Johnson is anxious to meet you.”

“Anxious?  Why would he be anxious to meet me?”

Immediately, Bob regretted saying that out loud.  He knew nothing about this Johnson fellow but the man did seem to know something about him.

Amber turned in response to Bob and gave him a smile that indicated that she knew something more than he did.

She rapped gently on the door that was next to her desk.  A polite, yet firm, voice responded, “Enter.”

As gracefully as she had crossed the open office, Amber opened the door with her left hand.  Her right hand made a swinging motion in front of her, directing Bob to enter the office.

To his surprise, while he was still in the doorway, Bob could see that Charlie Hughes was sitting in a chair at the front of a desk.  From behind the desk, rose the man he suspected was Johnson.

“Bob, Bob Griffith!  It is my great honor to meet you.  My name is Cain Johnson.  Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice.”

They exchanged the customary handshake.

“Firm grip,” Bob thought.  “Just like a salesman, or, maybe, a politician.”

“I would thank you for inviting me, but, I have no idea why I am here.” Bob narrowed his eyes, involuntarily displaying caution.

Cain let out a laugh.  He seemed to be trying to disarm Bob and lighten his mood.

“I am so sorry.  I didn’t really fill Amber in on my reason for wanting to meet with you.  That is my fault.  She works so well with me that I sometimes assume that she can read my mind, too.

“Of course,” Cain turned and motioned with his left hand towards Hughes, “you know Charlie Hughes, City Council President of Hilliard.”

Bob gave a courteous nod to Hughes then turned back to Cain.

“What can I do for you Mr. Johnson?”

Bob resisted the urge to cross his arms across his chest to indicate his impatience.  Since he didn’t know anything, yet, he reasoned that he should try to stay open to whatever was next.

“Please, Bob, have a seat,” Cain pointed to a chair that was also in front of the desk and to the other side of Hughes.  “and, please, call me Cain.  Do you drink coffee?”

“I’m surprised he doesn’t already know the answer to that question.  He seems to know more about me than I think he should,” Bob mentally smirked.

“Yes, and if you are offering, I would be happy to have some now,” Bob answered.

Cain tapped his intercom and instructed Amber to bring coffee for all three men.  It did not escape Bob’s notice that Hughes was not asked if he wanted any.

“Charlie, here, has been good to keep me informed on the progress of the next elections in Hilliard.  He shared that you were going to be submitting your name as a candidate for the mayoral race.  Are you still planning to do that?”

Bob shifted in his seat, “Yes, I just need to submit the paperwork to the City Clerk.  I have thought long and hard on this and I believe I can do this job and do it well.”

Cain leaned back in his chair and smiled.  Nodding, he said, “I believe you are right.  You can do the job of mayor and do it well.”

Bob responded bluntly, “Mr. Johnson, how can you be so certain that I can do that job well?  What do you base your opinion on?”

Cain appeared shocked.  Bob wondered if it was shock over his boldness or the question.

“You should know, Bob, that Charlie and I have had extended conversation about you and this position. We both agree that you will make a wonderful mayor for Hilliard, don’t we Charlie?”

Hughes looked away but still nodded positively.

“This isn’t like the diner,” Bob surmised, “Hughes is not in control here.”

After another gentle rap on the door, Amber entered the room carrying a tray.  Three coffee mugs with emblems of the Democratic Party decorated the tray.  Smoothly, Amber handed each man a mug.

“Would you like any sugar or cream?”

Amber’s voice seemed to sing the question.  Her face lit up with a gorgeous, compelling smile as she looked directly at Bob.

“Um, no,” Bob stammered as he was disarmed by the gorgeous questioner.  “I like my coffee black.”

“Here’s the thing, Bob,” Cain disrupted Bob’s focus from Amber.  “We like you.  We like the man that you are.  You are honest, a man of integrity. You are also a ‘get ‘er done’ type of guy, too.  Everyone that knows you speaks very well of you.

“The Democratic Party, myself included, is always looking for talented people, like yourself, who have a heart for people.  You approach your current work position as a servant, carrying for the needs of your people.  On top of that, you get great results.  The fencing plant is in the greatest shape both in moral and financially, then it has ever been.  The word is that you are the primary reason for that.

“We want to offer you our support for this election.  Why, I hope that it goes a whole lot longer than that.  You are a man who embodies the beliefs of the party.

“By support, I mean that we will guide you through the election process to assure your victory.  After that, we will help guide you through the maze of public service, seeing that the people of Hilliard get everything that they need, as we work with you to represent you at the county and state levels.”

Feeling leery, Bob shifted in his chair then took a long sip of his coffee.

“This is quite an offer you are making to a man who has never held a public office.”

Before Bob could continue, Cain jumped in, “As I said, we have found nothing but praise for you, Bob.  Everyone loves you and the greatest asset in public service is the respect and admiration of your people.”

“But how can you assure that I could win the election?”

Bob wished he hadn’t asked that question.  It just burst out of his mouth.  He was concerned that he wasn’t going to like the answer.

Cain smile once again, and leaned forward towards Bob.

“There is only one other candidate.  His name is Royal Willims.  He is a bit of a kook.  The old-timers know him.  He once started a petition to make Hilliard the state capital instead of Columbus.

“The one thing that old Willims has is name recognition, something you lack. We have funds available to support your campaign with signs, newspaper ads, and local media exposure.  We know how to get everyone to think that you are the only true candidate, the only name they see and hear daily.”

Cain now sat back in his chair.  He still held to his smirking smile.

“What do you say, Bob?  Do you want to be the next mayor of Hilliard?”

Bob slowly put down his coffee mug and now crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair.  He reached for his chin with his right hand.

“I need to be deliberate in how I answer,” Bob reasoned.

“This man is driving me crazy,” Cain thought.  “While I love that he is not just some puppet just swallowing up whatever I throw to him, this one seems like a no-brainer.”

“Before I answer your question, which we both know the answer is ‘yes’, let’s get to my question.  If I were to accept your help, what would it cost me?”

“Wow, I do like this man!”

Cain could not contain his enthusiasm.  Hughes, whom both had forgotten was even in the room, twitched as he was startled.  Even Bob reflexively tightened the grip of his arms around himself.

“Here is the deal, my friend,” Cain now rose from behind the desk and moved so he stood next to Bob.  “I think that I want you on my team.  I only say ‘think’ because you haven’t done anything to prove yourself, yet.  As mayor, I would want your full support for the Franklin County Democratic Party agenda.  I suspect that you would want a voice in that agenda.  I wouldn’t blame you.  But, as long as that voice is contributing to the advancement of the party, I would welcome it.”

Cain firmly gripped Bob’s left shoulder with his right hand.  Bob was filled with a mixture of emotions.  He was sensing some pride over the thought that he would have county-wide influence when he was only moments before thinking of influence in Hilliard alone.  On the other hand, he felt a strong bent towards caution, after all, he did not know how these things worked and who, exactly, this Cain Johnson was.

Bob unfolded his arms and reached for his coffee.  Cain released his grip and let out a short breath.  It seemed to Bob that Cain was disappointed by his lack of enthusiasm.  Possibly, he wanted Bob to jump up screaming ‘YES’.

“I would like to talk with my wife before making a commitment,” Bob spoke softly.  “Don’t take this response as a negative sign.  You are offering to make this a sure thing, something I had never envisioned.  To this point, I had hoped to win.  If I did, then great.  If I didn’t, then great.”

“If I accept your offer, then reasonably, I should begin right away to transition my life for public service, something my wife would be actively involved in with me.  I will call you tomorrow with my answer.  I won’t make you wait or string you along.”

Cain paused for a minute to soak in these words.

“Alright, that’s fair, Bob.”

Bob rose, “Thank you for your time and you will hear from me tomorrow by the end of the day.”

Bob headed out the door.  The walk to the car and then the drive home, were all a blur.

“What will Dixie say?”