Chapter Two C: Uncle Alex

Pol closed the door behind her and stood silently looking at Alexander Jasper. An older gentleman of indeterminate age, he stood with his back to her examining her bookshelf as if he were picking a bestseller at Barnes and Noble. Portly. That was a fair description. In his three-piece business suit and with his erect posture, no one would quite call him fat, but his belly was scarcely contained behind the vest and Pol was certain he’d gained weight since their last meeting.

“There’s not much that would interest you on that shelf, I’m afraid,” Pol said. “No cookbooks.”

“Pol!” exclaimed the older man as he turned. “You mean Invertebrate Zoology - A Functional Evolutionary Approach is not about how to cook them? Pity that. How are you, Pol?”

“I’m fine, Alex,” Pol responded warmly. “Or I was until I heard your news. Why on earth didn’t you phone? Why wait until I’m in the middle of a press conference to let me know they’d started dredging again?”

“Oh, I never use those things except to make dinner reservations. People listen,” Alex said, summarily waving off the idea of telephones. “Your staff knows me by sight, but they wouldn’t recognize my voice with a year’s practice. Come to think about it, they’ve had a year’s practice. If I’d called, chances are you wouldn’t know about it yet.”

“Well, I still believe my former staff was just fine. Why you insisted that I replace so many last year I still don’t know.”

“Re-districting, Pol. You needed to spread your representation around a bit. And it isn’t as if anyone was fired or put out of work. Consider it more like trading baseball players,” Alex reached in his pocket and withdrew a somewhat squashed candy bar. “Do you mind?” he asked. Pol shook her head and started to respond but Alex continued with his rambling. “You needed a staff that could move with you through a new campaign.”

“You mean for senator?” Pol asked. “Is it a go?”

Alex looked long and hard at Pol. What he was about to say was not going to please her. “No. We’re not going to waste you against Richard Lugar. You’ll serve another term in this office.”

“Surely you don’t think we should replace Evan? He’s doing a fine job!”

“Indeed he is, and no we won’t. All our efforts will be put behind keeping him in place.” Alex wandered over to the State flag with its torch and eighteen stars. “But Indiana needs a leader. It’s always been a sore spot, you know. Now with an accountant in the office loyal to this administration, there will be no progress on any environmental issue. You need to run for governor in 2008. That’s the direction that I want you to point this fine staff of yours.”

“Governor?” Pol was genuinely shocked. “I hadn’t considered it. There’s never been a woman governor in Indiana.”

“Yes, well, time they moved into the twenty-first century.”

“So it wasn’t about the dredging that you came out here at all, was it?” Pol asked.

“No.” Alex spoke the words gravely. “You’ve been called for a conference.”

“Personally?” Pol was even more shocked now. “Why? It’s never been necessary before. I’ve followed everything you’ve said. There’s no reason…”

“Relax, Pol.” Alex crossed and laid a hand comfortingly on her shoulder. “It’s not punishment.”

“But I’ve never…”

“You’ve never truly believed,” Alex completed for her. “You’ve obeyed, followed my guidance for your whole life, but you’ve never truly believed you were one of us. It’s time to take the doubt away.”

“Why now?”

“Well, you don’t think I’m going to be around forever do you? These bodies do expire eventually,” Alex patted his stomach fondly.

“If you took better care of it, it might last longer,” she said, playfully poking him in the stomach. “You’ve put on weight.”

“I’ve been retired for twenty years now. The only thing I’m sticking around for is to find the perfect plate of beans.” Alex hesitated. “And for you.”

“I’ve always known, Alex,” Pol said to herself as she sat behind her desk. She stroked the dark-stained walnut fondly. “It made sense the first time that you told me. But I always held out this hope that I’d never have to face the reality. Where and when?”

“Back in Indiana. Next Friday. You need to be seen more often among your constituents. They need to know that you are fighting for Indiana’s best interests even while you are in Washington. I expect you’ll be making a lot more trips back and forth in the next two years.” Alex turned and faced her. She had a far-away look in her eyes that he recognized from his own experience. Finding out you are more than an ordinary person and that there is a plan for your life is always a traumatic experience. “But nothing happens until after dinner!” Alex blurted out. “Make use of that staff of yours. Get us reservations!”

Pol laughed. “Let me guess… Something with cumin in it.” Alex rolled his eyes heavenward and issued a deep sigh of pleasure. “There’s a new Congolese restaurant I heard about at an ambassadorial reception last week. I understand that the Chicken in Cumin Sauce is exquisite.”

“I can’t believe that when this body dies I will never taste Cumin again,” Alex moaned. “You see, we all have our moments of disbelief.”

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