It was appalling and horrific, beyond civilized. A nightmare come true. The return of the Don! And to add insult to injury, he was a convicted felon now, no less. He was a devil who’d appeared on an escalator, bringing woe to the stage, and who, in spite of all frantic machinations to subvert his return to power, prevailed and conquered. To affront further their sensibilities, the winning running mate was a woman of great substance- a former democratic legislator who had forsaken the party and thrown in with the republicans. Heads were spinning at the very thought.
In a tavern somewhere in the heart of Georgetown the chess players sat and analyzed the election, after playing a quick checkmate. Outside, an early November snowstorm was spooling up. The pints were abundant, the republicans were walking on air, while the defeated democrats were depressed and drinking to excess.
“It’s really a shame that our parties can’t work together,” the republican opined. “I tend to think that it’s mostly a matter of pride for most democrats. Along with an abundance of selective and faulty graspings of propriety and reality.”
The democrat, still smarting from the outcome of the election responded, “Perhaps. And perhaps we were out of line at times. We couldn’t see through his craven and un-ending bombastic rhetoric to recognize the wisdom of his policy proposals, and his appeal to the common man, as well as to the refined intellect. Having an articulate and hot running mate helped. This landslide loss has certainly forced me to confront my own peccadillos. My depression and defeated spirit palpable, I appreciate that you don’t grind and gloat on this occasion.”
“We play chess together, my friend. We all know how awful check-mate feels,” the republican answered. “What matters in American politics is fairness and continuity. Our true enemies salivate and scheme when they see us bickering in this country. Ahh…pride and envy. I used to despise republicans, until I realized that I was allowing my emotions to drive me. I spent so much time navel-gazing and finding fault with others I got puffed-up and giddy with certainty. So I switched parties. Just like our new vice-pres did a few years ago. I suppose the Don’s success again at the polls will teach us lessons in humility and tolerance.”
The democrat declared, “You’re right. When I was surrounded by and encouraged by my own people, then found success in my academic and career pursuits, I felt as though I’d popped out of my mother’s womb fully formed and morally superior. My hubris just tumbled seeing your candidate prevail. Yes, I have to admit that my guy was a bit feeble. The important thing now is for all of us to cooperate so that our nation is strong. We need to wash away the bad feelings now.”
“Your candidate was weak my friend,” the republican stated. “No good American will abide a weak and compromised leader. He was clearly a stand-in for others, who function as shadow architects. The voters also saw through his ploys to buy their approval and vote. They weren’t oblivious to his panderings at all. The last straw was probably his open-border policies. In a perfect world there would be no borders. But this is not a perfect world, never has been, never will be. Alas, chess is a perfect game. Our chess board has sixty four squares serving my sixteen players and your sixteen players. The perfect game of skill. Unlike the affairs of men, who play a game of fluid and dynamic chaos, doomed to perpetual struggle.”
The democrat lamented, “I voted for my guy, but couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable that he seemed to be an arms merchant disguised as a politician. My god how unsavory the thought of us arming the rest of the world with our weaponry. Every dead Russian conscript, along with uncounted Palestinian victims of our bullets and bombs-they all have kin and tribe who now hate America and will harm us in the future, as a matter of justice and honor. I almost didn’t vote because of it.”
A server gal arrived with frothy pints, and seeing the democrat looking morose said, “Do you have lover’s blues sir, or would you perchance be a defeated democrat?”
“Indeed ma’am I’m a defeated democrat,” he answered, while still managing to smile at her sense of humor, all the while enjoying her scent.
“Chin up sir! Our new vice-pres will help shake things up, and is destined to be our first woman pres four years down the road.” the server exclaimed, then wandered off grinning.
“Our returned leader,” the republican expounded, “lives for entertainment, hospitality, and prosperity. The last thing he wants is chaos and war. He warned us years ago about the trigger-happy democrats, but people weren’t hearing it. His running mate also gave speeches about it, but for years people weren’t listening. It’s a new day in America now though. They’re both tough and pragmatic, and recognize the dangers facing our country, and the problems facing all the world’s peoples.”
‘When I Was Free’ was playing on the jukebox as the democrat mused, “There’s as many ways to Nirvana as there are souls in wandering. I reckon man just keeps evolving and somehow keeps it all together through the order of the ages. And I sure am glad to be in America, and hope we can avoid another civil war.”
“I concur wholeheartedly friend” the republican said. “Let’s bet a pint on checkmate.”
CP Butchvarov 2024