The Candidate

Part 2

Brian had a call from Charles Langdon early the next morning.  He told Charles he wanted to meet the rest of the 'group of concerned citizens'.  Charles said he understood that and would arrange for as many of them as possible to meet with Brian in the board room of his corporate headquarters.  Brian agreed to be there at one and give them his final decision afterwards.

 

He rooted through his closet wondering what he should wear.  He wanted to see who these people were, but he also wanted to impress them.  He knew if he thought they were on the up and up he was going to say that he would become their candidate.

 

He finally decided on his black suit with the red silk shirt and tie.  They knew he was gay and he wasn't going to let them forget it, or believe that he would cover it up.  The outfit wasn't particularly gay, but he knew he looked striking in it, and it wasn't something most straight businessmen would wear.  He wanted to see their reaction.

 

At quarter to one he arrived at the CLI headquarters on the outskirts of Pittsburgh.  He found a parking space for the Corvette and walked the short distance to the front doors.  He gave his name to the guard at the security desk.  He was expected, and was given a visitor's badge and directed to the fifth floor.

 

When he stepped off the elevator, he saw the board room doors across the hall.  He took a deep breath and pushed open one of the double doors.  His eyes swept the room, taking in the ten or so people inside.  He was immediately struck by the number of women, almost half of those present.  He had expected the power circle to be mostly, if not all men.  He had to get rid of those chauvinistic thoughts, he cautioned himself.  He smiled slightly at that, knowing Lindsay would have him by the balls if she knew that he thought like that.

 

"Brian," a voice off to his left said.

 

He turned.  "Charles," he replied extending his hand.

 

"Let me introduce you to everyone.  Most of our group is here, but a couple are out of town or unavailable."  He began with the closest person, a woman, Dorothy Bainbridge.  Brian was sure he had seen her picture in the paper but he couldn't remember in what context.  Charles continued the introductions, but most of them went by so fast he knew he would have trouble remembering them later.  Some of them were familiar to him, a couple he had met through various circumstances, and the rest he had never heard of.

 

When everyone had been introduced, Charles asked them all to be seated.  He turned to Brian.  "I imagine you must have some questions for us, so now's your chance to get the answers."

Brian's eyes swept round the table.  "Why me?"

 

There were some chuckles and looks exchanged amongst the members of this elite committee.

 

"Strangely enough that is one of the answers to your question," Dorothy Bainbridge replied.  "You are forthright, honest and don't beat around the bush.  That's the kind of candidate we have been looking for.  We're sick of people running for office who try to be everything to all people and end up being nothing to anybody."

"So I meet the first criterion," Brian said.  "But surely you know my less than stellar reputation.  What makes you think I could ever get elected?"

"You made Stockwell palatable to a lot of people, including gays and lesbians who he hates and wanted to make invisible," came the reply from an elderly man across the table.  Brian searched for his name and came up with Stephen Winthrop of the Winthrop Foundation.  He had met the man once at a fundraiser for Aids Research.  "I see you are trying to remember where you met me," he stated.  "I have a gay son who died of Aids three years ago."

"I remember the fundraiser Mr. Winthrop, but I've hardly been philanthropic over the years."

 

"My point was: if you can make Stockwell palatable, why not yourself?  I think you are very good at promotion and I'm assuming that would include self-promotion."

"Touché, Mr. Winthrop," Brian said with a grin.

 

"We are prepared to help you in any way we can, but a lot of this will fall on your shoulders," said a thirty-something woman whose name Brian couldn't remember.  "We wouldn't have chosen you if we didn't think you could handle whatever criticism comes your way."

"But how do you want me to handle it?" Brian asked.  "I won't lie or pretend to be something I'm not.  If you want me to do that, then this ends right now, Ms…."

 

"Angela Bezrani," she completed his sentence.  "We've never met.  I run a telemarketing company that employs hundreds of women, many of whom would be unemployable otherwise.  We want you to be exactly who you are.  It's up to you how you handle yourself.  We'll give you no direction in that regard."

 

Brian looked at them skeptically.  "What do all of you get out of this?" he asked bluntly.

 

"Hopefully a great candidate who will liberalize the government of this burg," a forty something man who looked like a computer nerd replied.  "Grant Forlani," he filled in for Brian who gave him a questioning look.  "I run a computer consulting firm."

 

"How do you know I would liberalize anything?" Brian shot back.  "If you talked to my former staff, they would describe me as a tyrant."

"We have talked to them," Jackson Washburn stated.  He was the head of a company making telecommunication equipment.  Brian had run an ad campaign for him a year or two ago.

 

"Were you scouting me out when you hired me, Jackson?" Brian asked with a twisted grin.

 

"No, Brian, but I was impressed with you.  I brought your name to this group.  We've had our eye on you ever since."

 

"Good job that was a successful campaign I threw together for you."

 

There were laughs from around the table.

 

"That's another thing we like about you.  You can use humor and irony to get your point across and deflect criticism," Jackson said.

 

"Don't you mean sarcasm?" Brian felt compelled to say.

 

"You certainly know how to wield that sword.  You may need to temper it a bit if you take on this challenge," Charles informed him.

 

"I'll try," Brian said with a smirk knowing that if they chose him he would do whatever he saw fit.  "One more thing," he added, "what do you expect in return?"

"That you run this city to the best of your ability and with the same level of excellence that you ran your office at Vangard," Jackson said.

 

"Gentlemen," Brian took a deep breath, "you have yourself a candidate." 

 

There were words of encouragement and general glad-handing following Brian's statement.  After each person shook his hand they began to depart, finally leaving Brian alone with Charles Langdon.

 

"I'm very glad that you decided to accept, Brian."

 

"I hope you know what the fuck you're doing, because I hate to lose."

 

"So do I," Charles replied.  "Sit down and let's go over the preliminaries of entering your name in this race.

 

******************************************

 

A couple of hours later Brian walked out to the Corvette.  His head was spinning and he wasn't at all sure that he had made the right decision.  He had been impressed with Charles Langdon.  The man certainly knew what he was doing.  But the only person Brian wanted right now was a certain blond ex-intern.  He hit the number on his cell phone.

"Brian?" Justin answered almost immediately.  "How did it go?"

"I'm officially a candidate," Brian said trying to sound triumphant but finding that rather difficult.  "I need to see you.  Where are you?"

 

"Finishing my shift at the diner.  I'll be done in fifteen minutes."

 

"It'll take me a bit longer than that to get there.  Can you wait for me?"

 

Justin was surprised that Brian was asking.  He usually took it for granted that Justin would wait.  "I'll be here," he replied and clicked off.

 

"He did it," Justin said to Debbie who had been hanging on every word.

 

"Yeah!" she yelled raising her arms over head in a gesture of victory.

 

Half the diner turned to look at her.  She glared back defiantly wanting to tell them all to vote for Brian, but she knew there had to be a formal announcement of his candidacy before she could do that.

 

"He's coming to get me," Justin explained.  "He sounded a bit … funny."

 

"Funny?  How?"

 

"I don't know, just funny."

"I don't think he's as confident about running as he would have everyone believe," Debbie stated.

 

"I know what you mean.  He's concerned that every detail of his life will be brought up.  He's worried about Gus, and me, and being fired."

 

"You're up to this, aren't you, sunshine?" she asked with concern in her voice.

 

"Yes," Justin replied with defiance.

 

"Good boy."

 

When Brian arrived to pick up Justin he honked the horn outside the door of the diner, but made no move to come in.  Justin grabbed his jacket and ran out before Deb could make an issue of it.  Brian sped off as soon as the boy was safely inside the car.  He turned the corner and screeched to a halt against the curb.  He threw the Corvette in neutral and grabbed Justin in a demanding kiss.  The boy kissed him back just as hard, knowing instinctively that Brian was asking him for his help and support as he started on this new venture.

 

"It's going to be fine," Justin said breathlessly when Brian finally released him.  "You're going to win."

"I'm beginning to wonder if I'll even survive the campaign," Brian said shaking his head.

 

"Since when have you had self-doubt?"

"Since always.  I'm just good at covering it up."

"Then keep doing that.  Nobody will know the difference."

Brian chuckled.  "That's why I need you around.  You're so practical."

 

"I'll be around.  I'm ready for anything you need me to do."

 

"Let's go to the loft," Brian said huskily.

 

Justin beamed his sunshine smile in reply.

 

******************************************

 

Once Brian had released some of his pent-up tensions in Justin's willing body, he wanted to talk to the young man whose opinion he had learned to value.

 

"I have to go to city hall tomorrow morning.  Charles is going to meet me there and we officially submit my entry," Brian explained.

 

"Oh?" Justin said.  He seemed to be thinking about something.

 

"What?" Brian asked.

 

"Is that all that happens when you officially enter the race?"

 

"I think so."

"Well, as a big deal, which it is, it seems pretty mundane," Justin observed.

 

"You're right," Brian agreed.  Justin could see the wheels starting to turn.  "I wonder …"

 

"Wonder what?"

 

"I wonder if there are any rules about how low key this has to be.  If not, why couldn't we make it a spectacle?  We could get the media there, maybe do it at lunchtime when a lot of people are going by, hand out pamphlets."

 

"Do you even have pamphlets?" Justin asked.

 

"Not really, but Charles was going to get some pictures printed up today, with my picture and saying that I'm running."

 

"You could hand those out," Justin suggested.

 

"I like the way you think, young man.  We make a great team," Brian said.  "I need to call Charles and find out exactly how far we can push the envelope at city hall tomorrow.  What do you think about involving Emmett to cater some fundraising events?"

 

"I think that's a great idea.  He has fantastic concepts that will catch people's attention."

 

"That's Emmett – fan-fucking-tastic!"

 

"What else do you think we can do?"

 

"I should see about booking Q and A's at the cultural clubs around town, so that I can speak and be seen."

 

"You're starting to sound like you know what you're doing.  You sound like a real candidate."

 

"I think I am."

 

******************************************

 

The following morning Brian met Charles at the city hall offices where official election entries were processed.  They had arranged several things before going in and were expecting the press to meet them when they came out just after noon.

 

They paid the fee and signed the necessary documents in exemplary fashion.  When they reached the lobby, Charles took Brian's arm and stopped him.

 

"Before we go out there," he began, "I want you to know that you have my full support.  The press will try to ask a lot of questions, but I want you to limit it to no more than five minutes.  Leave them wanting more.  Have you thought out the answers to the sample questions that I gave you yesterday?"

 

"Yes, sir," Brian said with a salute.  He hope he sounded confident even thought he hardly felt that way.

 

"Are your friends out there with the brochures?"

"Should be."

"Good.  Then we're ready."

"I sure as shit hope so."

 

"Language, Brian language!" Charles reminded him with a chuckle.

 

"I'll be on my best behavior," Brian promised.

 

"I'll believe that when I see it."

 

They pushed open the door and walked out to the top of the steps.  There were some flashes as cameras snapped pictures.  A small group of people milled around.  Brian could see Justin and Deb, but there were many more he didn't recognize.  Charles stepped forward and shouted for attention.  He then introduced himself and Brian saying he was the newest candidate to enter the mayoral race.  Brian stepped forward and cleared his throat.

 

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, "I hope to be the next mayor of this fair city and I will need your help to do so."  Brian saw people walking by stop and listen.  The crowd grew a little bigger.  He knew he needed to capture their interest.  "How many times have you heard politicians say that to you?  I want to make it clear from the outset that I am not a politician.  I am rarely politically correct.  I've been told I'm brutally honest.  I will try to do what is best for all citizens of Pittsburgh, but I do need your help, lots of it."

 

There were chuckles from the crowd at the last statement.  He had them.

 

"I'm a neophyte at this whole thing," he continued.  "I have been asked to run by Mr. Langdon who introduced me." Brian nodded to his new friend.  "For some unknown reason he and some other people seem to think I might make a good mayor.  I won't pretend that I have all the answers, because I don't.  However, I am willing and able to learn and I am very interested in taking a run at this position.  I hope a lot of you will come along with me for the ride."

 

There were some chuckles and scattered applause.

 

A female voice yelled, "I'd go for a ride with you anywhere, honey!"

 

There was more laughter.  Brian looked at Charles asking how to handle this, but Charles smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

 

"We might have a problem, miss," Brian said.  "I'm gay."

 

Brian heard some groans and a few rumblings.  "Shit!" he thought.  Maybe he shouldn't have mentioned that so soon.

 

The same female voice called.  "That's okay.  You're still a hell of a lot better to look at than the last batch of politicians we had to deal with."

 

"Does that mean I have your vote?" Brian asked.

 

"Sure, although I might like a little more information."

"Good for you!" Brian responded.  "An informed electorate is a good thing.  However, I'll happily accept all votes from people who just think I'm a pretty face."

 

There was more laughter.  Brian decided to quit while he was ahead. 

 

"Please take a brochure and consider me when you go to cast your ballot.  Thanks for your attention."

 

There was a bit more applause.  Brian could see Deb and Vic and Justin handing out the brochures.  Many people were actually taking them.  Suddenly he found himself surrounded by the press who wanted interviews and to know his schedule of appearances.  They could smell the charisma of this man and wanted to be the first with a story in their paper or on the 6 o'clock news.  Brian referred them to Charles' assistant who had come with them and who could supply all the requested schedules.

 

Charles directed Brian towards the waiting limo at the bottom of the steps.  They got in and were whisked away.

 

Brian let out a long breath.  "How did I do?" he asked tentatively.

 

"Exactly like I thought you'd do.  You handled that very well, and left them wanting more.  Great start!"

 

Brian smiled slightly and thought, "Maybe I can actually do this."

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