IMAGINATION'S PLACE
FICTION

POWER
By; Caylee Polley

All rights reserved.

     Bob Hope was considered to be the most powerful man in the U.S. Senate.  As majority leader of The Democrats he still had enough power to block any legislation the radical new president put forth.  He now stood waiting to cast his vote on the first piece of legislation that would take away the rights of American citizens that had different views of sexuality.  It was legislation he wanted to stop.  
    Suddenly his aide ran up, panting, holding out his cell phone that wasn't usually allowed on the Senate floor except in emergencies.  Bob was immediately concerned.  He took the phone.  "Hello?" he snapped.  
    "Bob!" came his wife's terrified voice, "Bob! Joy is dying!  She's just dying!  She came into the livingroom where I was and spoke to me like an adult, said she was sorry, she loved us very much but she was a child of God and couldn't stay in a house of evil.  She had to go Home.  You're going to vote the wrong way and support the sickness.  She can't stay.  Then she laid down on the couch and started to die!  There's nothing we can do!  We can't revive her.  The ambulance is coming but they'll never get here in time!  Please!  Do something, please!  I've gotta go!  I've gotta try to wake her up!"
    The connection went dead.  Bob stared at the phone trying to comprehend what had just happened and it buzzed again.  He pressed speak and heard his daughter's voice as clear as anything.  "Please, father?" it begged, "Don't make me go.  Please? Do what's right!  I don't want to go.  I really do love you and mother.  Please?  Do what's right?"
    The signal died and the phone continued to give out static.  Bob became aware somebody was speaking to him.  "Senator Hope!" the vice president was saying, "It's your turn to vote.  Is something wrong?  Do you wish to  pass?"
    Bob shook his head and looked up.  "No, madame," he answered, "I wish to cast my vote."  He stared down at the two buttons on his desk, a green one and a red one.  He hesitated a moment longer, then, with a trembling hand pushed the green button. When his vote registered a murmur went up in the senate chamber.  Bob tried to clear his head.  
    "Senator Bishop," the vice president was saying, "it is your vote."  Bob looked towards his long time friend and colleague who was staring at him in bewilderment. His friend nodded.  Bob returned the nod and his colleague voted. Again a murmur rose in the senate chamber.  Bob headed out into the hallway.  There was a reporter broadcasting from there who was saying "No one understands what's happening!  Suddenly all opposition to the Defend Marriage Act outlawing homosexual marriage has disappeared!  Most of The Democrats in The Senate are voting in favor of the measure!  It's going to pass overwhelmingly!  I see Senator Hope coming towards me.  Let's see if I can get a word with him.  Senator!" the reporter cried, "Just a moment?  Can you tell us what happened? Why did you change your mind?  Why are you  supporting the legislation?"
    Hope looked up and smiled.  "I think God spoke to me," he answered.  "I think he told me I'm being a very foolish man.  Thank you."  
    "Thank you, Senator!" the reporter replied.  
    Bob got into the rest room and phoned his wife.  Before he could even say anything she answered.  "It's all right!  It's all right!  She woke up!  She looked at me and smiled and said 'Please tell father thank you!  I won't remember, it's best that way.  But I don't think I'll ever have to do that again.'  Then she went to sleep normally.  Bob, what in the hell happened? What in the hell just happened?"
    "Somebody just showed us how insignificant we are," Bob answered, "how much power we really possess and how much power they have.  I think I've learned my lesson.  What would you think if I declared I'm no longer a Democrat, that I'll be joining The Spirit Party?"
    There was silence for a moment, then his wife answered, "I would think my husband was a very smart man!  And it will be so nice being able to associate with so many old friends again!  I've never really thought he was that bad a person.  This scared me!  I don't know how he could do it, but I think I understand why.  I won't mind at all.  Get home as quick as you can, would you?"
    "Right!" Bob answered.  He went back to the Senate chamber for the conclusion of the vote, then excused himself.  When he got home things were still a bit chaotic.  But finally he was staring down at his daughter as he sat on her bed.  "You asked me," he remarked "if you could go to The White House and visit The Goddesses.  Do you still want to?"
    "Oh, yes!" his daughter answered.  "I can't imagine how girls can be so courageous!  I would be so scared doing the things they do."
    "I don't think so," Bob answered.  "I think you would do the things they do quite easily!  Good night!"
    He kissed his daughter on the forehead, went out, and made a phone call.  The voice that answered in The White House had an East Indian accent.  "This is Senator Hope," he began, "my daughter has expressed an interest in spending the day with the courier/protectors and visiting some of the  younger children.  Would that be possible?"
    "Oh!  We would be delighted to have her!" the pleasant voice answered.  "We will be looking forward to it.  As a matter of fact, we have a cancellation.  There's an open slot tomorrow!  Could you drop her off about nine o'clock?"
    "Certainly!" Hope answered.  "Certainly!  Thank you!"  He hung up.  He found his wife standing beside him.  She didn't say anything only smiled, wrapped her arms around him, and laid her head on his chest.  
     "Now that all of this is over," she muttered, "I think I should tell you, I'm pregnant!"  
    Bob looked down at her and returned her mischievous smile.  "I wonder who in the hell it's going to be?" he muttered.  "I hope not one of his relatives!"
    His wife burst out laughing, and they headed for bed.  The next day as Bob dropped off his daughter the President appeared. "Well!" he cried, "Here's our guest for today!  Would you like to spend some time with the duty girl in The Oval Office before going up to the playroom?"
    "Oh, I'd love to!" Hope's daughter answered, with eyes as big as saucers. When she was led away the President smiled and remarked, "Don't you wish the older ladies still looked at you like that?"
    Hope managed a smile.  "May I ask a question?" he managed.
    "If you have to after I tell you something," the President answered. "There are some things that those who serve me do I highly disapprove of.  I would much rather do things in other ways.  But like any leader I sometimes have trouble controlling my subordinates.  They sometimes take  desperate and somewhat cruel actions.  As I say, I disapprove.  Do you still need to ask a question, Senator?"
    Hope shook his head. "No, sir!" he answered.  "No need to ask now at all. Thank you!"
    The president nodded.  "One other thing,  I wonder about my daughter.  Such power I'm afraid, is rather frightening."
    "You have nothing to worry about," the President answered. "She is a caring, loving daughter.  And that's what she will always be to you.  She regrets having to show her power to make you understand that she is one of ours and cannot abide among evil.  And by the way, the new one is your great grandfather.  Few things he wants to straighten out.  Thought you'd be the best one to help him."
    With that the President walked off, leaving Hope staring in a daze with his mouth hanging open.  Finally he snapped out of it and headed to work.  He was going to have a lot of work today, ending some old relationships, beginning some new ones. The world was changing.  Things were becoming very, very different very, very fast.  And he was right in the middle of it!  God help him, he was right in the middle of it!  

THE END

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