“I can’t inform you how a lot it means to us that you simply’re putting in this hell pit,” a demon father gushes. “My daughter, Lucy, has been desirous to stretch her demonic wings for a while now, and we’ve at all times felt one thing was lacking. It’s exhausting for youths like that to seek out inclusive environments, however this addition to the children’ playground is a extremely progressive transfer for Curiosity.”

A spherical of applause erupts from the opposite dad and mom who echo the daddy’s sentiments, and as soon as once more, I get the sensation their gratitude is real. It throws me off a bit of, and regardless of myself, I begin to marvel if perhaps I used to be a bit of off monitor with my assumptions concerning the mayor.

That thought solely beneficial properties traction as one of many councilors stops the mayor on his means out of the convention room.

“Oh, and comfortable birthday, Mason!” she says sweetly. “I do know you don’t have time for an actual celebration, however I hope you’re having an exquisite day, anyway!”

She says it after I’ve already left the room, and I solely overhear as a result of I’ve left my pocket book behind. There’s no means that would have been staged, and I’m wondering if I’ve been flawed about Mayor Wendall this complete time. If this actually is his birthday, and he hasn’t even talked about it to me… perhaps he really is the hard-working, devoted civil servant that everybody makes him out to be.

A knot of guilt begins to settle in my abdomen, and I push it down till I barely really feel it anymore. There’s nonetheless the remainder of the day for him to slide up, and I resolve to carry onto my judgments till I’ve seen extra.

However the ‘extra’ that I see solely serves to drive the purpose residence. The mayor forgoes his lunch break to attend the Pickle Fest assembly, at which the opposite councilors congratulate him on the financial increase the competition has delivered to the city beneath his management.

I hear that he’s put a major quantity of his personal cash into sponsoring the occasion and the way he himself is concerned with the hands-on set-up and operating of the competition.

Once we rush out to the subsequent occasion, I’m already exhausted however the mayor is as enthusiastic as ever. If that is an act, he’s an extremely good actor. Possibly I ought to recommend a profession change.

As an alternative, I ask him questions in between every merchandise on his busy agenda. Although I’m supposed to simply be an observer, I can’t assist however develop an increasing number of curious with each passing second. I’m a journalist in any case, I purpose, and because the day goes by, I’m shocked by how I discover myself turning into.

We’re chatting animatedly by the point we get to The Monster Subsequent Door neighborhood occasion, and he finally ends up introducing me as he greets every resident individually. I’m not shocked by this level to seek out he even is aware of every of them by identify.

“Hiya, Suzie!” he calls to a bit of woman. “Hiya, Mrs. Windstrop. It’s good to see you each right here! I don’t know if you happen to’ve met Charlotte Lieberman, from the Herald?”

This continues, with numerous different residents greeting the mayor with real happiness and him introducing me as if we’re good associates. If it wasn’t so nice, it could be disconcerting, given our historical past and all.

However I get the sensation he’s being real and so are his constituents. One oozing slime monster even comes up and shakes the mayor’s hand warmly.

“I simply wish to thanks a lot for introducing a slime choice within the college cafeteria,” says the genderless blob. “I can’t inform you how a lot money and time it’s saved me now that I don’t need to ship little Zlorp in with a bagged lunch every single day. To not point out they have been at all times shedding half of it in transit.”

Mayor Wendall doesn’t even flinch when he pulls his hand away coated in slime and as an alternative carries on a full dialog, solely pulling out a handkerchief after the mother or father has left.

And on the night’s Geriatric Vampire Affiliation fundraiser, the mayor runs the charity public sale with gusto. I do know he have to be exhausted, however by some means he by no means complains, by no means falters, and by no means slips up. He’s the proper gentleman to everybody he meets and even the vampires are impressed, who usually are not a simple crowd at the most effective of instances.

“Mayor Wendall!” says one gummy outdated vampire. “That was fantastic!”

The girl grasps his hand tightly, giving him a large, toothless grin.

“I’m so glad you thought so, Mrs. Rice,” he replies, not skipping a beat. “I do hope it’s a assist to your trigger.”

The girl manages to smile even wider. “You simply wait, Mr. Mayor,” she says. “The following time you see me, you’d higher be careful for my fangs!”

The 2 burst into peals of laughter, and I’m oddly touched by the change. What if perhaps this act isn’t an act in any case?

16

MASON

I’ve an uncommon spring in my step after I get up this morning — much more than regular — and I don’t fairly notice what it’s till I’m within the workplace and making an enormous pot of black espresso for when Charlotte arrives.

“Morning, Mayor Wendall,” she says, getting into the workplace for one more day of shadowing.

“Good morning, Ms. Lieberman,” I say eagerly, espresso pot in a single hand, full mug within the different.

She seems uncomfortable for a second as if she’s weighing one thing up, and after I go her the mug of black espresso, her demeanor modifications a bit.

“You possibly can simply name me Charlotte,” she says awkwardly, clutching the mug in each palms.

I can’t assist however grin. “And you may name me Mason,” I inform her.

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