CHAPTER 26: A BEVY OF FOLLOWERS AND A DEARTH OF LEADERS

(Episode 7)

The Rantbabies PAC is meeting in Mabel Small's kitchen. They have torn through their cakes and the octuplets at the same time, deciding that the treats were scrumpdillyicious and the mother and her fertility doctor criminal. After all, everyone knows that multiple births carry more risks that the babies--if they survive--will have lifelong handicaps or medical issues, and what ethical person would bring new life into the world with those risks?

They clear off the table and turn their attention to more serious matters.

"I simply don't know what to do about my fingernails, ever since Myrna closed the Hands & Feet Spa."

"I feel for you. This economy is hard on everyone. We have to just smile and bear it."

"Well, we can look forward to worse to come. It's clear President Omaba has absolutely no idea what he's doing. He's only been in office three weeks, and already he's been forced to admit to how many mistakes? Eight years, and President Shrub never had to admit to a single error in judgment."

Rachelle says, "That'll make it a lot easier to beat him in 2012. It won't be long before even his own supporters get the wool pulled off their eyes, and realize Omaba couldn't run a coffee stand, much less a country. All we need now is a good candidate to draw the party together. It's too bad we have such a dearth of leadership right now."

"What's a dearth, anyway? Is that like a liquid measure or solid?"

"I think it's either one-half of a decipol, or else two-thirds of a maxwell. But don't quote me on that."

Nancy is naive about political matters. "Isn't it a little early to worry about 2012?

Rachelle, who holds public office, is the experienced one, the one they all look to for reliable information. She is on her second term as PTA president, which probably wouldn't be the case if she had been properly vetted. She does not plan to stay with the PTA forever, of course; it's only a stepping stone to higher office. She has laid her plans carefully. If the truth about her past comes out, she will eschew politics and write a book, maybe go on the talk show circuit. For now, she speaks with the authority of all her political experience: "Never too early to start looking for the next president."

"I wonder how you would find one?

"I have an idea. What about E-way? You can find anything on there."

"What a great idea! Once I needed a feather from the extinct Rainbow-colored West Aphrica Crested Bobobird to complete an ensemble. I couldn't find it in any of the local shops, so I went on E-way and no problem! They had sixteen for sale at one time!"

Everyone agrees it is worth a try, so Mabel fetches the laptop.

Mabel expertly pulls up the E-way screen. She scrolls through the categories until they find the one they are looking for.

to be continued...