The Election: an unreal but possible conversation

Mary doesn’t agree. She’s in the kitchen now, looking for the glasses. As she puts them on the tray she raises her voice a bit so John and Jim can hear her. "I can’t make up my mind between the two and I keep asking myself why there are only two candidates." That’s a God damn weird question to ask, thinks John. "Imagine what this country would be like if there were half a dozen or more, like in Italy or Argentina." Jim is looking out the window at the bright coloured autumn leaves. "If you ask me, the sooner this is over the better." He doesn’t seem to be in a very talkative mood.

They are long time friends, a kind of trio, having gone to school together, and, well, John and Mary have been married for 15 years. Now they’re having a snack and pondering what to do on  election day. It only happens every four years, but there are months and months when the radio and the TV seem to find nothing better to do than to repeat the presidential candidate’s speeches, flash their spot advertisments and fill the viewer with patriotic pride. Thank God we’ve got a democracy, so go out and vote for the best man. That’s great, thinks Mary, but what do I do if I don’t agree with either of them?

Now she is returning with the tray and the glasses and snacks. She glances at her husband the way she always has for the past 14 years and continues her train of thought. They’ve had their ups and downs but have managed to keep together on the basis of mutual tolerance for what each considers untolerable.

"Don’t you agree? I mean we’re a big country, the most powerful in the world, the living example for people around the world, and we only have two candidates. Aren’t there others out there with ideas on how to straighten things up? Besides, once they get into office..."

John moves a bit uneasily in his sofa chair, then says: "I wish I hadn't stopped smoking."

"You mean you want to go back to your old habit?"

"Not really, it's just this kind of conversation gets on my nerves."

"You mean politics?"

"Yea."

"Well, we live in a democracy, don't we?"

"I guess so, although you sometimes wonder."

"About what?"

"About how democratic things are. And I'm not alone. There was this CNN survey that says 58% wonder whether there will be funny business in the vote counting."

"The thing is they put in all these fancy computers but that doesn't guarantee too much, in my opinion."

"I agree with you there. But I insist: the problem is there are only two and who knows what is going to happen once they swear in."

"I bet there are a few others, but nobody knows about them. Anyway, I wouldn't be so negative. I mean at least we can vote. There are countries where you can't, where a dictator decides everything for you,"

"There's no dictator here but there's money and the market and lobbies and the way people act when they want to get votes and what they do later..."

"You think you can't trust politicians? Our society is based on trust, isn't it? I mean even the dollar bill says "in God we trust."

"Even so some guys say the believe in God but get us involved in wars nobody wants and use not very Cristian tactics, such as abuse of prisoners..."

"Oh come on! You probably read that in a liberal newspaper."

"Didn't they change the wording to make certain practices legal?"

"This is getting out of hand! We elect our presidents or senators or whatever and entrust them to do the best for us. That's the way the system works. And if you ask me it has worked quite well up to now. Anybody can make mistakes. You have to see the essence."

"The essence? That's precisely what makes me feel so weather beaten. I'm afraid something has eaten away that essence."

"What?"

"I wish I knew! Hey! That's enough! Let's have a bite to eat."

"I'll take you up on that...but remember to vote..."

"It's not a question of memory...it's...I really don't know what it is...I just hope and pray whoever gets elected will be able to...oh, forget it! Let's eat!"