Miss Julia's Marvelous Makeover Read Free

ago.”
    â€œSo you’d be running against Jimmy Ray?”
    â€œRight, and he’ll be hard to beat with that crowd behind him.”
    As I thought this over, I realized that a lot of underhandedthings must’ve been going on that I—and a lot of others—hadn’t known about.
    â€œThat just burns me up,” I said, somewhat hotly. “Do you mean to tell me that our elections have all been rigged for years?”
    â€œNot rigged exactly, no,” Sam said, shaking his head. “Just that they’ve been able to preselect the candidates who run, and with this district being mostly a one-party district, voters have little choice. And they put up enough new names now and then to give the appearance of real change. They’re all alike, though, and they all have the same agenda.”
    â€œAnd what agenda is that?”
    â€œKnowing ahead of everybody else which industry plans to expand, where a new business or a government building will be located, what roads the DOT will widen and where new ones will be constructed—just a few minor things like that. Then they form a corporation to buy up land before any of it is made public.”
    â€œI don’t think that’s legal, and who are they anyway?” I demanded, riled up now at the thought that I’d been freely exercising my right to vote all these years without knowing that I’d not been so free after all.
    â€œWell, look who’s on the town council and on the county commission, and look at our representatives and senators—state and federal. They’re all part of it. But voters might be ready for a real change this go-round. Take Jimmy Ray, our current state senator . . .”
    â€œI don’t have to take him. Every time I hear his name, I feel so sorry for that daughter of his. Jimmie Mae Mooney—who in their right mind would saddle a child with a name like that? He should’ve just named her Junior and been done with it.”
    â€œOh, he’s all right,” Sam said, thinking the best of people as he usually did. “In fact, they’re all decent enough. But Frank Sawyer was our best bet to take on Mooney and break that stranglehold. I’m trying to consider it an honor that the party asked me to take his place.” Sam grinned in that self-deprecatory way of his.
    â€œWell,
I
consider it an honor, as well as an indication of theparty’s good sense in selecting you. But, tell me something, Sam—were you never interested in being a judge? You would be such a good one—you’re so fair-minded and you certainly know the law.”
    â€œI thought about it a couple of times,” Sam said, shrugging. “But I was caught up in writing my book, then I got a bee in my bonnet about a certain widow lady, and the interest faded away. Now, though, learning and doing something new is very appealing, especially if it appeals to you, too. I think we’d have a good time, Julia, doing this together and doing something good for the district, as well. But,” he said, raising a finger to emphasize his point, “I’m not going to do it without you. We’d be making a two-year commitment if I win, and that would be it. And if I do win, it’ll mean going back and forth to Raleigh when the Assembly is in session, and keeping an office open here for constituents during the off-season. But keep in mind that it’s very likely that I’ll lose, and I don’t want you to be disappointed. As for me, I can take it or leave it.”
    As I studied the matter, I realized that I, too, could take it or leave it. However it turned out, I was not so invested in a senate race that I’d be thrilled on the one hand or devastated on the other. Of course, though, it never entered my head to discourage Sam from doing anything he wanted to do, but it was clear that he wanted me to want what he wanted. In fact, it sounded as if he wouldn’t do