The September Outcome

Chapter 4: Reason

  There were numerous reasons as to why Dwight Mathers hated Mayor Jeslop Sloan. It might be said that they were irrational but the moment that he met Sloan about six months into his position as accountant, he despised the man. It gave Dwight the shivers thinking about his, cold, icy face. He remembered shaking his hands once and they felt like he'd been clutching a cruel winter's icy snow.

 Mayor Sloan reminded Dwight of a snake, someone who was sneaky and slithery and constantly hid himself in the shadows only appearing in public when the mask was on. A mask of smiles and concern, of friendliness and honesty. Though it was all a lie, every last word of it was fake. He was a horrible man, with a violent slur and a harsh temper. Dwight knew that Mayor Sloan was obsessed with power and money explaining why he became mayor. He wasn't about the people or an ordinary Joe, he was just a vacuum, sucking up everything and everyone in his way.  

 Sloan had been the mayor for nine years in a row now, beating every competitor he had ever come up against, even the ones who were about the people. Dwight even remembered being in high school and Sloan was still mayor then. It was inconceivable how he managed to stay on top so long without anyone getting suspicious and asking questions. So, that immediately set Dwight's view of Sloan as nefarious. Dwight soon started asking around with some 'friends' he knew of, if there was anything suspicious going on with the mayor alas there was nothing to their or anyone's knowledge. Yet suddenly, while Dwight's opinions began to resonate something happened to confirm them.

 One winter's eve, in the Karricole Falls Gentleman's Club and Bar, on a Saturday, everything was happening as per usual. The men who arrived that night were mostly wealthy businessman and rich oil owners. That evening at around eleven o'clock everything went smoothly, until Mayor Sloan appeared at the club and had a few drinks and got dead drunk. He started swaying and slurring and shouting. Soon he found the ''entertainment'' and began dancing with them.

 All over the newspapers, Sunday morning was the flaring image of Mayor Jeslop Sloan in his pinstripe suit and debonair attitude dancing. But the worst part was he was dancing with a scantily clad bra in the bar. And the public just swallowed it right up.

 Sloan was made a mockery of, an imbecile his reputation reportedly down the drain. Everyone expected him to pull out of the forthcoming election in the following weeks, though when asked he stated he looked forward to running for mayor and would not let the incident get in the way. Though the people disagreed and were beginning to see through his putrid charade and decided to vote for the only other opponent, Leslie Monroe. 

 Leslie Monroe was a respectable man, who had studies politics and was a newcomer in the rungs of running for anything. He'd just graduated from Harvard which was more experience and education than Sloan could account for. The town residents seemed please with the young, new fresh faced guy who had high hopes and good intentions. Dwight remembered secretly voting for Leslie despite working for Sloan. Though, Sloan began advertising his campaign on milk cartons, buses, buildings anything to get to the general public. 

 Election Day came and the votes were being counted. The ceremony was held in the council house's auditorium and practically the entire town showed up to watch what would happen during it. It went calmly like expected. The first couple of votes came out in favour of Leslie and then some for Sloan. Halfway through the votes that were pulled out of the box read Leslie Monroe. It looked like a clear win until near the end of the counting, a huge amount of votes read only Jeslop Sloan's name and by the end of the ceremony it appeared that Sloan had won. 

 The instant the vote was counted, there was uproar. People began to boo and jeer as Sloan practically cavorted hideously up on the stage, relishing in the pretence of glory. Leslie Monroe stood their aghast, shocked at the fact that he'd lost to a gross, horrible delinquent of a man. Leslie never really showed his face again. The town members were in shock to the announcement and were all disgusted. Who voted for him? How could he have possibly won? It was something of a conundrum.