Mayor Kinney
* 35 *
The temperature was expected to hit four below. Geoffrey handed Brian the report about the low temperatures anticipated over the next few days.
"What? Am I supposed to have control over the fucking climate now?" Brian asked with some exasperation.
Geoffrey sighed audibly and in a very annoying manner. "It's about the homeless. These kinds of temperatures can mean death for them."
"Oh," Brian responded feeling like a bit of a fool. "I didn't realize…"
"Most people don't."
"Are there any contingency plans that can be implemented?"
"All of the aid organizations make extra beds and mats available, but there are still those who will refuse to come in."
"Refuse … why?"
"Some of these people are not functioning in reality. They think the world is out to get them and they're afraid to go to the shelters. They think their belongings will be stolen or someone will kill them in their sleep. And they're not always wrong."
"Fuck! What kind of world do we live in?"
"Good question to which the only answer is … this one, fucked up as it may be."
"So what can we do?" Brian went into action mode or as Justin and Michael might call it, Rage mode.
"Even if all the agencies open all their beds, they'll still be turning people away who do want in."
"There aren't enough spaces? How the fuck many people are we talking about?"
"City wide … hundreds, maybe thousands."
"Jesus Christ!"
"If only He would do something about it."
"Are we relying on divine intervention now?" Brian said sarcastically.
Geoffrey shook his head. "There's not a lot we can do except maybe open some municipal buildings as shelters until this cold snap is over."
"What buildings?"
"There are the arenas," Geoffrey said.
"Do it," Brian commanded. "Make the arrangements. Even if there are no beds, open them up so the street people can come in out of the freezing cold."
"I'll contact the arenas. I should also let the media know. You could make a statement on television and radio telling these people where they can get shelter."
"Check what arenas we can pull into service, and then I'll make whatever announcements are necessary."
Geoffrey nodded and headed for the door.
"Geoffrey," Brian said, "is Adam still working in your buildings?"
"Yes," Geoffrey said with a frown. "Why?"
"Have you got his number?"
"Sure," Geoffrey said taking out his planner and looking for the number. "Why do you want it?"
"I need to speak to him about something."
Geoffrey knew from past experience that he wasn't going to get any more out of Brian. He left after he gave the number to Brian.
-----
At four pm Brian held a press conference that would be broadcast on both television and radio. Beside him at the podium stood Adam Pritchard, the former homeless man who Brian had helped to get back on his feet.
Brian began with a simple statement about the hazardous weather conditions that were expected that night. He said that all available beds would be open to the homeless and additional spaces would be added wherever possible. He pleaded with all street people to find a warm spot. He then introduced Adam and explained how they had met. He asked Adam to say a few words.
Adam stood before the mike and began, "Tonight and every night now I have a warm apartment and a bed to sleep in. I used to be one of those people that you avoided on the street, but thanks to the help of Mayor Kinney and many others, I have turned my life around. Brian, Mayor Kinney, asked me to speak to the homeless today. He thought maybe I could get through to those who might decide that the shelters were unsafe. I don't know if I can reach you all, but I want you to know that he has opened the local arenas around the city. There won't be any beds there, but you will be able to go inside and get warm. You can get a cup of soup or coffee, and if you want to lay your bedroll down in there, you will be able to. We don't want anybody to freeze to death tonight or over the next few days when the temperatures are going to be so low. Mayor Kinney is a good man. He helped me and he'll help you if you'll let him."
Adam stepped back. Brian replaced him at the microphone.
"Thank you, Adam. I hope with your help that nobody will feel they have to stay on the streets tonight. Here's the list of the arenas that will be open. If you can't get to one, go to a local shelter and they will call us. We'll see that you can come in from the cold."
The list of open arenas ran below Brian as he read the names. He hoped this would be enough.
When they ended the press conference Brian turned to Adam. "Do you think that will reach them?"
"It will help," Adam said, "but there are no guarantees. Some of the people who need to hear this may not have access to the media. And some may still decide to chance it and stay outside."
"I don't know what else we can do."
"There isn't really anything else you can do," Adam admitted. "The world is just too fucked up for some of these people."
"Thanks for coming and doing this," Brian said shaking his hand.
"I'll do anything you think might help."
"It's appreciated, Adam."
-----
Chuck drove Brian home after the press conference. Brian entered the loft appreciating maybe for the first time how truly lucky he was. He had had his fair share of problems growing up but he had never had to go hungry and cold, mostly thanks to Debbie. He owed that lady big time.
Justin would be home shortly so Brian decided he would do the cooking to give Justin a break. He searched the fridge and decided that omelets were the best he could manage with what they had. He chopped and organized everything so that he could throw it together as soon as they were ready to eat.
When he had all that done, he walked over to the sofa and sat down. He flicked on the TV news just in time to see Adam making his plea at the press conference. He judged Adam's words critically and decided that the man had made an impassioned speech that might bring a few more people in out of the cold. He hoped they would listen.
Next was the part of the conference where he gave the list of open buildings. He looked at himself critically as he had with Adam. On the outside he looked much the same as he always had since he had started working in advertising. But on the inside, he knew a lot had changed. He was able to show his concern for the less fortunate in the world. Until the last year or so he would have denied their existence, would have denied that he cared, saying they weren't worth consideration. Even then he hadn't really believed that, but he could never let on that he had a different attitude. Any beliefs, anything he did to help people had to stay secret. He couldn't allow his soft heart to be seen by anyone. He had a certain persona to maintain and protect.
He shook his head. All that had changed, or most of it had changed. There he was on the TV making a request for homeless people to find shelter so that they didn't freeze to death. He wondered what his friends would think of that, but he really didn't care. There was only one person whose opinion mattered, and he'd be home soon. He knew Justin would be proud of him.
He thought back over the progression of events that had led to him running for mayor. Sometimes he couldn't believe that he had agreed to run, and the fact that he actually won still blew his mind. He hoped he had made a good mayor so far. He still had a year to serve.
Serve! That word made him smile. Here was Brian fucking Kinney serving the public. He had always thought that the only serving he would ever do was when he serviced all the willing men he encountered at Woody's or Babylon or anywhere else. He had always been ready to let them serve him too.
How times had changed! And it was all because of a certain blond twink, a blond boy ass as he had called him once long ago. Even then that description of Justin hadn't been accurate. He had used it to push Justin away, to keep his neat, semi-orderly life intact, and put the pushy blond in his place. Fortunately Justin had known his place almost from the outset, and it was by Brian's side. He was thankful that his little blond fuck-buddy had refused to accept that role. He had demanded more. He had demanded so much more of Brian. Brian had fought him, but he had known it was a losing battle, and now he wondered why he had fought it at all.
The loft door slid back and the object of his musings breezed in dropping his portfolio and heading to the kitchen.
"Hey, blondie," Brian said with a smirk.
Justin jumped about two feet. "Fuck, Brian! What are you doing, trying to give me a heart attack? Why are you home so early?"
"Surprise!" Brian said with a grin.
Justin giggled. "I hope it's a nice surprise," he said with a smile.
"I'm making you dinner," Brian stated proudly getting up from the sofa.
"You are?" Justin asked in amazement. "What brought this on?"
Brian kissed Justin softly as he arrived next to his lover, his conscience, his everything. "You deserve it."
"I do?"
"Um hmm."
"If you say so."
"I do. Now go wash up and I'll start the omelets."
"Yes, sir," Justin said with a smile. He retrieved his portfolio and carried it over to the desk. "I saw you on television this afternoon," Justin said suddenly.
"Where?"
"They had it on in the common room at IFA. Is it really so hard to get the street people to use the shelters?"
"Apparently so. I don't want anyone dying on my watch."
"Adam looked good. He seems to have got it all together,"
"Yeah, I'm pleased for him. What did you think of the other guy at the news conference?"
"You mean the tall one?" Justin said with a grin. "I thought he was pretty sexy."
"Good answer."
"And I thought he was a very caring and compassionate man, someone that I could spend my life with."
Brian stared at Justin and didn't say anything. Justin knew Brian didn't like declarations like that. Brian would have been happy if Justin had stopped at the sexy part, but he didn't care. He wanted Brian to know how much he loved him and appreciated all the great things he had undertaken as mayor.
"Didn't I tell you to wash up, little boy?" Brian asked with a grin.
"Yes, daddy," Justin responded and then beat a hasty retreat to the bathroom before Brian could smack him or pinch him for his insolence.
-----
The next day Brian had a meeting with Geoffrey about the cold and the homeless. To his relief Geoffrey reported that there had been complete capacity at all the usual shelters. Each arena that had opened its doors had had a complement of homeless who made use of it. The temperature tonight was to be similar, so the same plans would be instituted once again.
Brian went about his daily activities without thinking much about the homeless situation. About two o'clock that was all to change when Cynthia buzzed him.
"Yeah," Brian responded.
"Brian, I…"
Brian knew immediately something was wrong. Cynthia was a straight shooter. She never hesitated or beat around the bush. "What's wrong?" Brian asked.
"I have the radio tuned to music out here. They just interrupted to say that the police had found a homeless woman under one of the bridges … frozen to death."
As soon as Cynthia had started that statement Brian knew the end of it was going to be something he didn't want to hear. "Fuck!" was all he managed to get out. He felt his throat constrict. How could this have happened? He hadn't done enough.
"Are you still there, Boss?" Cynthia asked as the silence seemed to go on endlessly after the one word response.
"I'm here … but I fucking wish I wasn't."
"Is there anything I can do?"
"Get me Geoffrey," Brian said and cut the connection. He didn't want to speak to anyone, but Geoffrey would probably know how to handle this. He handled everything else.
Brian paced his office waiting for Geoffrey to arrive. Finally the tap at his office door signaled that Geoffrey was there.
"I heard," Geoffrey said as he closed the door behind him.
"What the fuck happened? I thought we did everything to prevent something like this."
"We did."
"Fucking lot of good it did."
Geoffrey shook his head. "Some things are beyond our control."
"I'm supposed to be in control of this city. This was not, I repeat not, supposed to happen."
"We can hold a press conference and state that this woman refused to come out of the cold," Geoffrey suggested.
"Do we even know that that is what happened? Maybe she didn't know there was help."
"I can't answer that."
"Do we even know her name?" Brian asked remembering Dumpster Boy and Debbie's search for a name for him.
Geoffrey shook his head. "I'm sure the police are looking into it."
"Come back when you have some answers," Brian stated flatly as he opened the door to his office indicating that Geoffrey should leave.
"We should make a public statement," Geoffrey said. "Give our spin on it before the news stations start speculating.
"I thought you were better than that," Brian said sadly. "I'm not saying anything until I know who she was and what happened to her. Is that understood?"
"But we should…?"
The look on Brian's face stopped Geoffrey mid sentence. He turned abruptly and left the office hoping some of his contacts at the police department could provide the answers the mayor wanted before it was too late to diffuse this situation.
Brian slumped down in the chair behind his desk. He had failed the most vulnerable of his citizens. He had let that poor woman die alone and cold. How could he ever make that right?
-----
A few hours later Brian stood in front of the press. He knew this would make the eleven o'clock news. Brian read the statement that Geoffrey and Cynthia had prepared for him. In it was the name of the dead, frozen, and soon to be forgotten woman, Angela Dubkowski, former mental patient, now getting her fifteen minutes of fame the hard way.
When Brian completed his prepared statement, questions were fired at him from the press gallery. Only one caught his ear, because it was the same one he had been asking himself all day.
"Why did this woman have to die?"
Brian glared out at the audience. He knew he should have some glib or sincere answer. All the clichés about the mentally ill and fear and falling through the cracks ran through his head. None of them made it to his tongue.
He stared at the audience and finally stated. "I don't know why she died. I'm sorry that she did." He abruptly stepped down from the podium and made his way back to his office.
He grabbed his coat and went out into the reception area. Cynthia saw him and came over to him as he stood in front of the elevators.
"Did the press conference go all right?" she asked.
He stared at the doors refusing to answer and willing them to open.
Cynthia took that as a "no". "Have you called for Chuck to pick you up?"
Brian said nothing as the elevator doors opened.
"Good night, Boss," she said as his impassive face disappeared behind the closing doors.
Brian rode the elevator to the lobby. He hadn't called for the limo. He didn't want to deal with anybody. He didn't want their sympathy. Why should he get sympathy? Where were they when Angela needed it? He didn't want their criticism. He had done everything he could to prevent this from happening, but obviously he hadn't done enough.
He caught a cab which had just dropped someone off at City Hall. He wanted to go to the baths and fuck himself into oblivion, but he could see the headlines the next day if he did. He gave the driver a name and they left City Hall, and all it implied, behind.