"What's your name?" he asked, "How old are you?"
"My name is Phillipina," his host answered, "Phillipina Washani. Though I don't look it there's a little Native American in me way back somewhere. That's where the family name comes from. I'll be sixteen next month."
"Sixteen?" the sheriff snapped. "What's a child like you doing taking care of a Spiritist colony? Well, Phillipina.."
"Please!" his companion asked, "just Phil!"
The sheriff laughed. "O.k., Phil!" he managed.
"Well, so you'll understand everything, I'm a genius. I'm super intelligent. By the time I was five I was reading Shakespeare. By the time I was seven I'd finished grammar school and I was miserable! All the other kids hated me. I was the weirdo, the smart kid. I could do things in a week it took them a year to accomplish. I had no friends. Then one day I was cruising the internet and came accross a Spiritist web site, and in just a few minutes I was theirs!
Then, to my greatest joy, in their latest publication I learned they were starting a school for special children, advanced children like me. I begged my parents who were devout Pentecostals, to get me enrolled. They thought the devil was after me, but finally got a brochure and eventually sold the house, packed their things and moved to North Dakota. Father got a job in a warehouse, and mother worked as a bookkeeper in a local hotel. I was accepted at the school, and I was never so happy in my life! There were other children there like me! They understood me. Some of them learned as fast as I did. Everything was beautiful then one afternoon my parents didn't come for me. Instead the police officer came. There had been a drunk driver. It hit a gas truck and it had exploded. My parents had stopped at the convenience store.
My aunt came. She was nice but she really didn't want a super intelligent little girl. There was no place for me to go. Then one day I was called to the office in school. A man and a woman stood there with my aunt. I knew who there were immediately! The man sat down and asked me to sit. He said "We've heard about your problem, and we've asked your aunt if you could come and live with us, until you're old enough to fend for yourself. Do you think you woud like that?"
"YOU?" I stammered, "You and her?"
"We've got a great big house," the Speaker answered, "and several children that would enjoy your company. A lot goes on there, but I think you'd enjoy it."
"Yes, yes!" I said. The next four years were so wonderful and amazing. They're impossible to describe. I was there when some of the most earth shaking decisions ever made were done. I saw history first hand! The agony; that man has so much in that incredible brain and he can't even write a simple sentence! He has to dictate things...EVERYTHING to other people! I helped write some of his speeches.
Well, there wasn't much doubt what I was going to be. I studied anything that I thought might be helpful, took the seminary courses, had a couple of small assignments, then was given this one.
Legally, Mr. Hatfield is my guardian. He'll have to sign the papers, but there's no problem. He thinks I've made a wonderful choice. But I'm the leader of the colony, don't ever question that. I'm the final authority. Nobody does anything without my consent!
I'm sorry we're so much trouble for you, but this is a crucial fight we're engaged in. We must regain peoples' right to use their property as they see fit, and not have local governments and small interest groups take them over at a whim. But I don't think it will effect our relationship, though of course we'll have to keep it quiet for now."
She stopped speaking and only smiled tenderly.
"What papers would I have to get Mr. Hatfield to sign?" the sheriff asked.
"Oh! As my legal guardian," Phil answered, "he'll have to sign the marriage license. It will be quite legal, once I'm sixteen. I want to have at least a couple of babies before I'm twenty, while I'm young and strong. I don't want to wait as long as my mother did, and not really be able to enjoy them!"
She gave her sweet little smile again, picked up the last of her meat on her fork and began to chew it. The sheriff sat wide eyed, his mouth hanging open for several moments. Then he shut it.
"But you....but you...but you don't know me!" he stammered. "You don't love me, I don't love you! This is a ridiculous idea! I'm twice your age!"
"Yes I do!" the woman answered, "and yes you do! Who gives a damn, and I know all about you. Would you like me to tell you what I know?"
The sheriff only nodded while she continued.

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