Glimpses of An Election

Cat remembered what Marsh had said about Dempsey and Tunney as he joined the relaxed laughter.

"Now I am not saying that you made me run...."

Chuckles this time.

"But you did keep me walkin' when I'da rather been sitting in the shade. So I asked to come down here and see what kind of business we can do...."

He unfolded the paper and ran his finger down each line. He then looked down along each pew once again.

"This is a very good list. You have been thinking as well as ringing door bells."

He took a pen from his jacket pocket.

"I'm going to add one or two things here, and I think we can do business. Now I don't mean I'll trade you sewers for your votes next time. You are too smart for that. Just like you should be. Probably too angry for that, even if it was on my mind. But it ain't. I got something more important to talk about."

Burton now had their active attention.

-- He is a pro, Marsh thought. Wonder where he really stands on this Mexican business?

"I'm thinking that you people know -or just feel maybe- something lots of my supporters still got to learn. This war we been through changed most everything. Women have been changed. They now know they can build ships or airplanes just as well as men. Jobs have been changed. Everybody needs more education. Negroes have been changed. You got a real piece of the pie and you want some more. And you're right.

So politics has been changed, too. Nothing is going to be the same. Mr. Clay nags my mind because I think he knows more of this than many of my supporters...."

The crowd was his, at least for the moment.

"Oh, I'm sure I'll be a better man in Washington than Mr. Clay - leastwise for the next ten years. But I got an uneasy hunch he'll keep right on learning. I hope not too fast."

Even Burton laughed. In a way for the first time in a long time, politics was fun again.

"You folks seem to understand the big question is about who's going to direct and control all these changes. Who is going to decide which direction we go and how fast we go. Now someday Mr. Clay and Congressman Maverick may be better at that than I am. We'll see."

Burton looked around for a glass of water. Griff had one under the pew and handed it up. During that pause, Wendell Rogers and Marsh looked at each other the same moment. They sent the same message across the church,

-- What the hell is going on here? Is this a confession or is this meant for Crown? If he'd done this during the election Clay would have done well to get 30 percent.

"Most of you I reckon want to go in a different direction, or faster, than I think it wise to do. So do Mr. Clay and Congressman Maverick, so you're right to vote for them. But what I really came down here for is to say that I respect you for playing by the rules. If we play by the rules we can keep things from getting out of hand, going off in every direction. That's no good for anybody. As long as we play by the rules we can do honest business with each other."

Burton sagged. He was tired. Everyone suddenly knew that he had said far more, at great cost, than he had ever intended.

-- That was for Crown, thought Marsh. He is very upset about what I'm upset about. Crown is going outside the rules.

Burton lifted his shoulders, started from the well toward the center aisle. Rogers and Griff and Marsh stood up and began to applaud. Slowly, thoughtfully, Mr. Hank joined them.

The audience quickly went up the side aisles and waved him goodnight from the great doors.

Table of Contents

• Introduction

1. Maggie and Mr. Hank
2. The Reverend
3. Squalls Along the Flight Line
4. Flying Home to Church
5. A Visit with The Judge
6. Communion
7. Afterthoughts
8. Monday Morning With The Admiral
9. Into the Dining Room
10. On Toward Walking the Streets
11. Glimpses of An Election
12. The Dream and The Reality of Violence
13. The Admiral Loses More Than a Few Good Men
14. Down That Lonesome Road

• Cast of Characters
• Credits and Acknowledgements