Heinlein, Robert A – Expanded Universe

neck-a loss for Nelson; McNye a strong third and coming up fast. “What do you think,

Mrs. Holmes?”

“The same you do. Tully has dumped Nelson and bought up McNye.”

Potter agreed. “It’ll be you and McNye in the runoff. Nelson is coasting on

early support from the machine. She’ll fizzle.”

Tom had come in while we were talking. “I’m not sure,” he said. “Tully needs

a win in the primary, or, if that fails, a run-off between the girl and McNye. We’ve

got an organization, she hasn’t.”

“Tully can’t count on me running third. In fact, I’ll beat out Frances for

second place at the very worst.”

Tom looked quizzical. “Seen tonight’s Herald, Jack?”

“No. Have they discovered I’m a secret drinker?”

“Worse than that.” He chucked us the paper.

“CLAIM ROSS INELIGIBLE COUNCILMANIC RACE” it read; there was a 3-col cut of my

trailer, with me in the door. The story pointed out that a city father must have

lived two years in the city and six months in his district. The trailer camp was

outside the city limits.

Dr. Potter looked worried. “Can they disqualify you, Jack?”

“They won’t take it to court,” I told him. “I’m legal as baseball. Residence

isn’t geographical location; it’s a matter of intent-your home is where you intend

to return when you’re away. I’m registered at the flat I had before the War, but I

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turned it over to my partner when I went to Washington. My junk is still in it, but

he’s got a wife and twins. Hence the trailer, a temporary exigency of no legal

effect.”

“Hmmm . . . how about the political effect?”

“That’s another matter.”

“You betcha it is,” agreed Tom. “How about it, Mrs. Holmes?”

She looked worried. “Tom is right. It’s tailor-made for a word-of-mouth

campaign combined with unfa

vorable publicity. Why vote for a man who doesn’t even live in your district?-that

sort of thing.”

I nodded. “Well, it’s too late to back out, but, let’s face it, folks- We’ve

wasted our nickel.”

For once they did not argue. Instead Potter said, “What sort of person is

Miss Nelson? Could we possibly back her in the finals?”

“She’s a good kid,” I assured him. “She got taken in and hated to admit it,

but she’s better than McNye.”

“I’ll say she is,” agreed Tom.

“She’s a lady,” stated Mrs. Holmes.

“But,” I objected, “we can’t elect her in the finals. We can’t pin anything

on McNye and she’s too green to stand up to what the machine can do to her in a long

campaign. Tully knows what he’s doing.”

“I’m afraid you’re right,” Potter agreed. “Jack,” said Tom, “I take it you

think we’re licked now.

“Ask Mrs. Holmes.”

Mrs. Holmes said, “I hate to say so, and I’m not quitting, but it would take

a miracle to put Jack on the final ballot.”

“Okay,” said Tom, “let’s quit being boy scouts and have some fun the rest of

the campaign. I don’t like the way Boss Tully campaigns. We’ve played fair; what

we’ve gotten in return is shenanigans.”

“What do you want to do?”

He explained. Presently I nodded and said, “I’m all for it-and a wrinkle of

my own. It’ll be fun, and it just might work.”

“Well, call her up then!”

I got Frances Nelson on the phone. “Jack Ross, Frances. Haven’t seen you

around much, sweetheart. How’s the campaign?”

She sounded tired. “Oh, that- What campaign, Jack?”

“Did you withdraw? I haven’t seen any announcement.”

“It wasn’t necessary. I had a show-down with

Jorgens and after that my campaign just disappeared. The committee vanished away.

Look, Jack, I’d like to see you-to apologize.”

“Forget it, I want to see you, too. I’ll pick you up.” We laid it on the

line. “I’m dropping out of the race, Frances. We want to throw our organizational

support to you-provided.”

She stared. “But you can’t, Jack. I’m going to vote for you.”

“Huh? Never mind, you won’t get a chance to.” I showed her the Herald story.

“It’s a phony, but it licks me anyhow. I should have played up my homeless condition

but, like a dope, I let them do it. It’s too late now-when a candidate has to