Cancel All Our Vows Ch. 01

"VOTE FOR GRANDPA GRIZZ!" Tasha yelled. And the crowd went wild, as the saying goes...

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

"She said to come on down." I said as I drove my Police SUV south along Riverside Drive. The old skating rink behind the service station where a gang shootout had occurred had been renovated into a Conference Center with a large ballroom and several smaller rooms. (Author's note: 'Woman In Love', Ch. 02-03 for the shootout and related issues involving the skating rink building.)

Edward R. Steele was riding shotgun, and like most non-Police-Officers he was looking at all the neat gadgets in the vehicle with great interest. He said "We'll be going in with the Reverend Joseph E. Williams, and we are making a show of solidarity as fellow Charter Commission Members. But I'm still surprised she wants us there."

"Especially me." I said. "But the Sheriff was right when he told me that the Black Community hates the Police, and especially White Police, but they'll respect the effort to show up and stand with Edna."

Edward said "Edna, maybe. But you'd need your entire Police Force protecting you if you tried to go to Cori Bowman's rally. Between the truly radical Police-haters and the loyal Teachers Union people that will be there, it would be dangerous, even for you... especially for you."

To change the subject, I said "So your house next to Cindy's is finished?"

"It sure is, and it looks great." said Edward. "We're having an unofficial housewarming party this weekend, along with Marie's birthday party..."

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

We met up with the Rev. Dr. Joseph E. Williams outside. He was wearing a civilian jacket and pants, and a black shirt with a clerical collar. I said "Is Savannah Fineman going to be here:?"

"You are about to make me say cuss words." replied the good Reverend. "She's at Cori Bowman's rally. She's been working hard to help Bowman beat Edna, though I suspect some of it is to help her buddy Bill Redmond in the General Election."

"Sounds about right to me." I said as he led Edward and me in. The security at the gate looked openly shocked at seeing two white men with Dr. Williams, then they recognized me... maybe it was the red crowbar in my hand that gave me away. Their looks turned to hatred, but they let us through.

The crowd in the 'green room' were equally surprised when we came in. Edna Carter said "I'm so glad you could come." as she hugged us. She introduced Edward and I as fellow Charter Commission members, and we were begrudgingly accepted. I observed several Black Business Council members, a number of schoolteachers and administrative officials from the Booker T. Washington High School system in the room. I also saw and said hello to Patricia Chang, who would be the Democrat candidate for Edward's old Council seat. And I had one friend: Lieutenant Stevie Carter was a relative of Edna's, and was here in civilian clothes, as well.

"How are the results doing?" I asked Dr. Williams as he checked his app.

"Hard to tell." he said. "I don't know why the northern County results are so slow coming in. They're usually done quickly, and the southern parts of Town take longer. But not tonight."

Edward was also checking the app. He said "The current results have Edna ahead, but like Joseph said, the northern districts are uncharacteristically delayed, and we're expecting the white Leftist elites up there to vote heavily for the Union's choice, Cori Bowman."

"And KXTC is telling us every two minutes how the D.A. and Mayor races are going, but they're not mentioning this race at all." said Patricia Chang.

"What is KFXU saying?" I asked. The room got quiet, and some people looked at me as if I were a Klingon in their midst.

"We don't watch those racist crackers." spewed a woman I didn't know, but would learn was the BTWHS girls's basketball coach.

I said "KFXU is supporting Edna, while KXTC is s supporting Bowman, and the Union. Love 'em or hate 'em, you might get more and better information from KFXU than from KXTC."

My words fell on deaf ears, and the televisions remained exclusively on KXTC. But a few people began taking sneak peeks at their smartphones, possibly looking at the KFXU mobile app or website.

I called Teresa for an update. She was at Mayor Allgood's party at the Hyatt Hotel. "People are socializing, but there's an undercurrent of nervousness affecting everyone's mood. A lot of people don't understand why the northern suburbs aren't coming in faster. Cindy went to Election Headquarters to make sure everything is kosher with the counting."

After disconnecting, I called Cindy. She reported "What's slowing everything down is that the election observers in the Carter-Bowman race are birddogging the hell out of the counters. I've seen some of them before; they're thugs for the Teacher's Union. If it weren't for them, the three remaining races would be counted and called."

"Any idea for who?" I asked.

Cindy said "I think the Walters-Mason race for D.A. is headed for a recount. Daniel Allgood is ahead and has been ahead, but Ryan Paulson is gaining as the northern votes come in. And the same for the Carter-Bowman race: Edna Carter is ahead, but Bowman is gaining with each batch of northern votes counted."

I told Edna what I'd learned. When I said the D.A. race was a dead heat, the BTWHS coach snarled "That don't matter. Alvin Whitner is gonna whip both their cracker asses. And then yo cracker ass is done in this County, Iron Crowbar..."

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

11:30pm, Tuesday, May 3rd. I got a call from Cindy, who said that the votes were finally counted and were being certified. She also said that she might have leaked some numbers to Priya Ajmani of KFXU.

"Someone turn one of these televisions to KFXU." I said as I disconnected. No one moved. "No, really." I said. "You're going to like it." Dr. Joseph E. Williams turned one television to KFXU, and just in time:

"This is Priya Ajmani, Fox Eight News!" said the gorgeous Indian reporterette, reporting from outside Election Headquarters. "Fox Eight News is now projecting that Assemblywoman Cori Bowman, who was strongly supported by the NEA, the powerful Teacher's Union... has -lost- to schoolteacher Edna Carter---"

The room erupted into cheers. The BTWHS coach said "Well where the hell is the KXTC report?"

"They'll take their time reporting it." I said. "They wanted Cori Bowman to win, and they'll need to figure out how to spin it."

"How do you know that?" the woman said skeptically.

"Ohhhh, my cracker ass hears a few things before the rest of you do." I replied, then walked away from her.

Some minutes later, as the Campaign confirmed the news and the results, Edward Steele came up to me and said "Priya just called the race for Daniel Allgood, too. The D.A. race is being held up; they're recounting two northern precincts."

The news began spreading in the main room, and people began cheering and talking excitedly. A few minutes later, representatives of the Press began orchestrating Edna Carter's appearance on stage. I was not going to go with them, but Edna grabbed my arm and all but forced me to escort her out. "I want all you Charter Commission people on stage with me." she said to us.

We all went out on stage, and the crowd of several hundred people cheered as Edna said "The results are in, and with the help of all of you, I will be carrying the fight for our children's education into the November election as the Democrat nominee for School Board Chairman!"

Edna thanked a number of people, then said "And I'm glad to have my fellow Charter Commission members here with me: Dr. Williams, Councilman Edward Steele..." there was good applause, then Edna finished "... and the Iron Crowbar, Commander Donald Troy!"

The room suddenly quietened to almost nothing, and then there were a few scattered boos. Edna took exception: "If you are booing Donald Troy, then get out of here and don't let the door hit you when you leave! This man..." she said as she pointed at me "... has worked hard to give -all- our children a quality education! This man... stood up to the Teachers Union when he wrote the Charter! Our children will not find a better supporter of quality basic education than Donald Troy... except for me as School Board Chairman, of course!"

There was a smattering of applause, but then someone, a man in the crowd, yelled out "He's a cop! A white cop!" There were murmurs of agreement in the hall.

Dr. Williams came up to Edna and whispered "Allow me?" Edna yielded the microphone and Dr. Williams said into it: "People, I understand your hatred of White cops. I don't like a lot of them, either. But Donald Troy? He ain't one of them."

Dr. Williams: :"Do you remember when Harold Malone ruled the Police around here? I sure do. And it was bad. Bad! But this man..." he said as he pointed at me "...this man ran Harold Malone out of this County. This man cleaned up the TCPD. You will not find a white cop that will treat you more fairly and honestly than Donald Troy will!"

The Haters shut up, and a round of quiet, polite applause rose up. I probably should not have said anything, but I went up to the microphone and said "Let's not lose sight of why we're here. Whatever you think of me as a Police Officer, and I'm proud to be one, I'm here to support Edna Carter's campaign to become School Board Chairman. Like Edna Carter, I support quality education for all our children. Bill Redmond does not."

Me: "Bill Redmond will work side-by-side with the Teachers Union to control what your children are taught, to control the amount of money allocated to your schools and to distribute that money in an unfair, harmful manner. I'm here to help Edna Carter stop Bill Redmond's campaign to harm our children by harming their chance to have a fair, good, basic education. Now who is with me on THAT?"

The room exploded in applause...

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

"While these returns are very close, the Voters have spoken." said Ted Mason at 1:00am, Wednesday, May 4th, in his concession speech in the Republican primary for District Attorney. "We now must put aside our differences and work together to support Miriam Walters and Michael McGill for D.A. and Solicitor, and stop the tremendous threat that Savannah Fineman and Alvin Whitner are to our legal system."

Mason: "Fineman and Whitner will coddle criminals, will let them go free to endanger our good citizens's lives, and they will try to strip law abiding citizens of their guns and their gun rights, as well as their right to self-defense. Use a gun to defend your wives and daughters's lives, and you will be the one prosecuted by Savannah Fineman and Alvin Whitner. Under Fineman and Whitner, the thugs will rule while the law-abiding are made more and more helpless..."

"He's right, you know." Edward R. Steele said to me as we watched the speeches and the returns at the Mountain Nest while waiting for our wives to arrive.

"Yep." I said. "Fineman and Whitner want to bring to us the chaos that Citizens of San Francisco, Chicago, New York City, and the shithole Wilmington, Delaware enjoy today."

Edward said "I'm glad Mason was so conciliatory about it. The vote was very close, and a sudden spurt of votes for Miriam at the end looked kind of fishy to me. Daniel Allgood won by a greater percentage, but Ryan Paulson is not only not conceding, he told Amber Harris in an interview that he would not endorse Daniel Allgood if Allgood was eventually declared the primary winner."

I said "That just proves what I've always said: Establishment Republican Elites will support Democrats before they will support true Conservatives."

"Point taken. Point well taken." Edward said agreeably. "And I'm sure that Paulson is furious that the referendum to separate the Public Health Department from the Public Safety Department passed overwhelmingly, 67-33%."

Just then we heard the front door being opened, followed by a sight I had never seen before. Stephanie Steele and Melina Allgood were helping Laura into the room. My (current) wife's arms were over the other women's shoulders, like an injured football player being helped off the field. Laura was barely awake.

"Oh my goodness." Edward said "What happened?"

"She had a lot of wine to drink." Stephanie said.

I had sprung up and begun taking cushions off the far-side sofa against the wall. "Here, let's put her here instead of trying to get her upstairs." I said as I pulled out the sofa-bed and quickly obtained a sheet from the closet and put it down over the mattress. The others (mostly Melina) helped Laura to the sofa-bed as I got the pillows and bedspread cover from the same closet and put them down.

"I'll get her undressed and under the covers." I said. "So what happened?"

"Like Stephanie said, Laura had a lot of wine." Melina said. "I was busy with Daniel, greeting guests and stuff, so I didn't realize she'd had too much."

"And she had a good, big dinner." I said. "So it must have been a lot of wine. Did she seem unhappy about something? Or was she cutting loose like it was girls night out in Vegas?"

Stephanie said "When we left the Sheriff's party for Daniel's party while you guys went to Edna's rally, she was a little quiet, but she seemed okay. She didn't say anything to me about any problems she was having. And at Daniel's rally she talked to people, most of who were congratulating her on the State Medical College, and she didn't seem to be anything but cordial and social."

Stephanie: "But with 20/20 hindsight, I realize that she was constantly drinking wine, and towards the end of the evening she was sitting in the 'green room' drinking several glasses... large glasses. And after the evening was over, we realized that she was about to pass out. She didn't act like a drunk or embarrass herself, but she was half-gone."

I nodded, then said "Did Paulina and Michael go to Daniel's party?"

"No." Stephanie said. "I saw them on television at Miriam Walters's event when Miriam was giving her speech. Tasha wasn't with them, by the way."

I said "Paulina took her up to The Cabin after they left the Sheriff's party. Molly and her mother Maggie are keeping all the kids there."

Everyone made their goodbyes and left. I got Laura undressed and under the covers, then sat in the rocking chair as she slept. I'd never seen Laura let herself go like she had tonight, and become passed-out drunk. And there could only be two reasons for it. One was Carole, and her knowing we had to have a 'come-to-Jesus' discussion about our daughter. The other reason would be Paulina. Was Paulina's relationship with Michael McGill getting to Laura? Or was it something else, maybe involving Tasha?

All I knew at this moment was that there was a problem, and whatever Powers of the Vibe or the Detective skills of the Crowbar I possessed were not helping me to find the answers I needed...

To be continued.