concerns which he had perhaps been too quick to brush off . All too much sound and fury , signifying nothing . ‘ You aren ’ t a religious man , so I hardly see why it matters .’
The young man seems to soften now . He smiles again , but sheepish this time . Conciliatory . ‘ No , I suppose it doesn ’ t . I can ’ t say I ’ m mad about turkey bacon , but it ’ s probably better for my cholesterol than the real deal .’
The old man is relieved . This seems more like the boy who volunteered at his constituency office . Who had patiently and painstakingly taught his septuagenarian secretary how to use Excel . Smart , courteous , self-effacing . Neither an ideologue nor a cynic . A boy you ’ d let take your daughter to the disco , rather than one who ’ d jeer at her out of a car window as she walks home alone at night . While he does not have a strong personality , he does have strong character and this , the old man reasons , is what matters . Individuals are but vessels for ideas and traditions , and politicians are but poor players , who strut and fret their hour upon the stage and then are heard no more . When it comes time for the old man to take his bow , he should be proud to pass on the torch to his young colleague . A beacon of reason and moderation , lighting the way through centuries – is that not , he wonders , a kind of immortality ?
A cold breeze lifts up the edges of their plastic tablecloth and the old man shivers in his seat . The young man is looking at him hungrily . ‘ So , she ’ s toast then – our new leader ?’
The old man chuckles at his directness . He taps his nose : ‘ You may say that , but I couldn ’ t possibly comment .’
The young man rolls his eyes at the familiar refrain but perseveres . ‘ How long before the old guard move against her ?’
The old man pauses , unsure of how much to reveal . These plans were made in the strictest confidence . ‘ Well it can ’ t be too sudden or the membership will suspect a stitch-up , but by the same measure , the longer she ’ s in place , the more she drags the party name through the mud . So here ’ s the plan : we leave her time to make a few gaffes , a couple of off-colour comments which , given her past form , we shouldn ’ t have to wait terribly long for . Then we mobilise . She ’ ll already have me marked as an opponent , but there ’ s others in the party who are keeping shtum for now . She ’ ll want them on her team – a bit of old-school legitimacy to soften her image as a firebrand . Once the time is right , they ’ ll pull the rug out beneath her . Coordinated mass resignations – like you say , toast .’
And from there the old man continues , too vain to know he ’ s said too much . The young man is rapt , memorising names as his colleague rattles on , moving around ketchup bottles and salt cellars on the red and white chequered chessboard as he explains factions within factions , so enamoured with his own cleverness that he is physically unable to shut up .
Won ’ t Win , Will Win 42