Balance of Power Ch. 01

We all got up and shook hands, and Daniel went inside. The Sheriff and I sat back down, and I poured another round for each of us.

"I don't want him quitting on us now," growled Griswold, "but I don't blame him for not wanting to run again. They have put him through no end of hell, and it's just the beginning. I've gotten word from my sources that the US DOJ is seriously going to go after him with everything they can muster."

"Yes sir." I said. "Mike Todd and Cy Hart have been prepping hard for it."

"So who are you going to have run for Mayor in his place?" growled the Sheriff.

"What makes you think I'm going to be the one to get someone to run?" I asked with a grin.

The Sheriff just peered at me, then said "Crowbar... I am not an Agency of the Weak Minded." I began laughing and could not stop...

Part 4 - Ratcheting Up The Heat

On Saturday September 14th, the Bulldogs achieved an upset overtime win over the State U. Purple Hawks, 27-24. The hopes of the entire Bulldogs Nation soared, and the anticipation of the Wildcats game reached an 'unhealthy' (for me) level.

What the Wildcats did to Protestant was not very nice. Clarence Appletree had 335 yards at the end of the third quarter, and was pulled. Jamaal Washington had six catches for three hundred yards. His 'yards after catch' nearly set a record. The Wildcats were playing Freshman walk-ons most of the second half, and still won 76-0. The Wildcat Band played Seventy-six Trombones.

Now, Sunday, September 15th, the boys, Edward Steele, and I were watching an NFL football game. The Atlanta Falcons scored with a minute left to take a one point lead over the Kansas City Chiefs. Rather than kick the extra point or just down the ball, the Falcons coaches went for two, ostensibly to make it a 3-point game. This is what the 'consensus opinion' says... but these were the Atlanta Falcons.

Instead of running the ball, they passed. The Kansas City safety intercepted and ran the ball back the length of the field for two points, giving the Chiefs the one-point lead, which they converted into the win. Yet another humiliation for the Atlanta Falcons. (Author's note: that really did happen.)

"Daddy, have you ever been to Atlanta?" Jim asked.

"Yes, I was there just last year." I said. (Author's note: 'Four Square', Ch. 03.)

"Is Atlanta a bad town?" Jim asked.

"No, it's a very nice city." I said.

"So why does Atlanta have to have the Falcons?" asked Jim. "That's real humiliating."

"Yes, it is." I said. "I feel sorry for the people of Atlanta. At least the Cleveland Browns have a bulldog for their mascot. The Falcons are just losers."

As we waited for the next game to start, a local commercial ran. It showed Fire Chief Quinlin, in his Duty Dress uniform, saying "As Fire Chief, I'm opposed to the new Charter. It hurts the Fire Department, and it puts people's lives at risk with the creation of an unsupervised, uncontrolled EMS. I urge you to vote against the new Charter." A voiceover then said "Vote 'NO' on September 24th. The small print said the ad was paid for by the Fire Department Captain's Union. Edward and I just looked at each other.

As we watched the next game, where the Dallas Cowboys were pummeling the Philadelphia Eagles, Ross asked "Daddy, have you ever been to Dallas?"

"Yes." I said. "Mr. Steele and I were in that stadium when the Wildcats won their first national championship, and Mr. Steele knows the Cowboys owner, Jerry Jones." (Author's note: 'Hampered In His Plans', Ch. 01.)

"Wowwwww!" said Jim and Ross together. That peaked their interest in the stadium and the game. And then another local ad came on:

"The new Charter is unfair to our residents and our children." said the woman's voiceover, showing sad white children. "You are going to be highly taxed, and those tax dollars will be sent to other districts, while your children get less." A huge 'NO!" appeared on the screen. The boilerplate said that the ad was sponsored by the NEA, the powerful Teacher's Union...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Okay," Edward Steele said as he and I sat in my office room in The Cabin, "there was no money budgeted for the Charter Commission to run ads. Our expenses were paid for out of the General Fund, and there was money allocated to hold the plebiscite on September 24th. But no money to buy ads."

"I never even thought about that." I said, somewhat forlornly, knowing this was my mistake. "I didn't think we'd have to run ads."

"You're not a politician, and I say that as a compliment." said Steele. "I was the one that should've been aware of it." After a pause, he said "I checked with my campaign people. I legally can run pro-Charter ads, but I don't have a ton of money in the coffers for my own campaign... which is more important than ever with the Council situation the way it is."

"While you were checking with your people," I said, "I was making some phone calls, too. My usual marked cards, The Friends of the Town & County, which is run by Myrtle L. James and Judge Lorraine McGill, have declared their 'neutrality' in the Charter vote. In truth, they and the Business Interests are getting more and more interested in separating the Town and County."

Edward said "Both the Republican and Democrat Parties in the County are also staying out of the way of the Charter vote, too. It's too bad we don't have activists like George Schwartz, who financially backs every little Social Justice group... or should I say 'Socialist Injustice' group. It'd be great if that 'R.C. Christian' guy sponsored a few ads."

"Which might be illegal." I said. "I'm trying like hell to bust Kelly Carnes for that, so I can't be a hypocrite about it right now."

"There's two things we might can do." Edward said, after thinking about it for a moment. "First, we can ask J.P. Goldman to sponsor an ad buy. He's got more money in his PAC, he also has personal wealth he can use to run his next campaign, and he's still bitterly angry about that ipecac attack on him."

"That's a good idea." I said. "What's the other?"

"To get private funding." said Edward. "Someone like your nephew, though mind you I'm not asking you to ask him. But someone who supports the Charter and is willing to run some ads."

"Why don't you call J.P. Goldman." I said. "I'll make an ad, and if I can get Roy Easley to make it with me, that'll go a long way."

"Easley can't wear his uniform, though, and neither can you" said Steele."

"You're right." I said "But we can wear our Medals of Valor..."

*BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!*

It was my personal iPhone. I took the call...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Assistant Fire Chief Warren Davies and his fiancée Tina Felton of the Women's Law Firm of Dewey, Burnham & Winn left the Sunday evening Mass at the Catholic Church. Davies looked around warily as he opened the shotgun-side door for Tina, then closed it after she got in and went around to the drivers-side door.

As he pulled out onto College Avenue, he observed that a car was following him at a distance. He turned right onto Riverside Drive, going north, then onto North Street. The car that had seemed to be following him was no longer doing so, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

"What's wrong?" Tina asked, seeing Davies's tension.

"With everything going on," he said, "Commander Troy said to really be careful. He said to watch for people following me, take different routes home, and all that."

"He should practice what he preaches." said Tina. "He got ambushed in his SUV."

"Yeah, at the one choke point on his way home." said Davies. He turned onto Cone Street, then onto Rivercrest Road, getting near home.

And then it happened! A car came barreling down the road right at him! As he hit the brakes, two more cars were coming up from behind, and one from out of a nearby driveway. He was surrounded!

"Get 'em!" yelled one of the men that poured out of the cars. One man ran up and swung a tire iron at the drivers's side window, shattering it. Two men reached inside, one going for Davies's neck while the other unlocked the door and force it open. On the other side, once the door unlocked, two men pulled it open and grabbed Tina to pull her out.

"Give it to 'em!" the leader of the men ordered, as Davies was knocked to the ground and Tina's blouse was ripped open...

To be continued.