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Water Springs. A small town somewhere in the middle of
Well, the answer is very simple. Water Springs is the only place
in
Evans
was an ex-hippie. You know the serious kind who went traveling all over
There
was a fire in town which gutted 5 houses, seems that the houses were built
without proper safety features. When it was discovered 6 months before the fire,
the local property company paid off the mayor to look the other way. The resulting
scandal destroyed the mayor’s chances for re-election. Which is probably a good
thing as said ex-mayor is currently serving time for corruption. So, the joke candidate
began the mayor.
Everything
was fine at first. Evans didn’t do anything stupid. Then 9 months into his
term, a guy half-jokingly asked him when he’s going to take the vote from the
women. Evans said that it was important to keep his word. He then set a date
for a vote on the issue fully expecting it to fail. To the amazement of all,
the bill passed and the women found themselves without the vote.
That’s
when the provincial government got involved. They
demanded that the town get rid of the law. Evans offered to hold the vote again
but the provincial government stupidly refused. Instead, they demanded that the
law be struck off immediately. This got the town in an uproar. It was their
vote and even if it wasn’t the result they expected, it was their choice. The
town found strange support from outside. Everyone agreed that another vote was
the best solution. Under pressure, the provincial government finally relented.
Another vote was held and in this one, the bill passed in a landslide. It was
the town people giving the finger to big government. Even the women voted for
the bill and the provincial government washed their hands on the matter.
A year has gone by and now Matthew Mansell is on his way to write a dirty rotten
story on the town; about the oppression of women right here in liberal
As
he rolls into town, Mansell was surprise by the size of Water Springs. It was
bigger than what his editor told him and seems to be a pretty normal place. But
that was nothing compare to his shock that the motel was full.
“You’re full! You got to be
kidding!”
“No. Sorry Mr. Mansell, we
pretty pack. Lots of tourists you know, and only 2 motels in the whole town.”
The man at the desk was Terry Bogart. He’s the son of the owner and the man
delivering the impossible news. For a town like Water Springs to have a full
motel was practically unheard of.
“Wait, you said there are 2
motels in town?”
“Yes, the other one is across
town. But it’s more popular than ours so your chances are even worse there.”
“You have nothing?”
“Well…a couple is to leave
today. But it’s only
“Sure, I’ll wait.” Mat grimly
agreed. “Did you say the town has a lot of visitors?”
“Sure do. Ever since the bill
passing, the tourist hasn’t stop coming.” Terry happily agreed. “Evans did a
hell of a job so far. Passing the law was the best thing to happen to this
town.”
“Why?” No need to ask which
law Terry was talking about.
“Everyone wants to see the
town. Last time, people just stayed on the freeway, but since the bill passed
everyone stopped by to see Water Springs. It’s like they are obliged to stop
and see the only place where woman don’t have the vote. The law put Water
Springs on the map.”
No question there. Mat never
even heard of the town before the bill. “But some would say that it’s on the
map for the wrong reasons Terry. You don’t mind me calling you Terry right?”
“Not a problem Mr. Mansell.”
“Please, call me Mat.”
“Okay. Would we be having
this conversation right now if not for the bill? I mean that’s why you’re here
right. As long as people stop in town and spend money…I don’t care why they
stopped by.”
“Oh…I guess that make sense.
The bill is good for business I guess.”
“The fucking best. Before, we’ll
be lucky to have this place half-full. Now, I actually have to turn people
away.”
“What do the women thinks of
this?”
“There’s money to make for
all. Most of them are happy as hell the town is booming.”
Mat heard an opening. “Most,
but not all. Who would you say is unhappy?”
“Hell if I know. But there
must be some though. Tell you what, there’s still about 2 hours till 11, why
don’t you go to Harry’s across the road. Have some breakfast, they make a mean
pancake.”
“That sounds like a great
idea. Thanks.”
“Not a problem.”
Mat walked out of the lobby and cross the street. He was
vaguely troubled by his talk with Terry. That the bill had turned the town into
some sort of tourist attraction was something he had not counted on. Still with
such a law, there shouldn’t be too much of a problem finding someone who is
unhappy. With that, Mat entered Harry’s Diner.
Somewhere in town,
Richard Evans was less than happy when the phone rang. He
was in the middle of something but he is the mayor and duty comes first.
“Evans here. Who is this?’
“Mr. Evans, this is Terry.
Some guy just came in and asked a truckload of questions. Might be some sort of
reporter.”
“Another one? Where’s he
now?”
“I sent him over to Harry’s.
But he plan on staying for 3-4 days and he asked about who was unhappy about
the law.”
“Terry, you leave that to me.
Harry’s huh, get your father and both of you keep an eye on him. I’ll send John
over there. Good work Terry.”
“Thanks Mr. Evans. I’ll call
my father now.”
Richard
Evans wasn’t too worried as he put down the phone. Reporters are always
troublesome, but young Terry is a smart man. With his father beside him, the
reporter has to be pretty damm good to find anything. And if he is that good,
well that’s what John is for.
With
duty over, Evans turns back to pleasure. The woman kneeling in front of him has
a name, a name everyone in town knows. Evans however knows her by a different
name. “Shitface, I have a job for you.” Shitface smiled.
Harry’s Diner
Terry
was right. The diner serves good pancakes. However, Mat was a born reporter and
far more interested in information. The diner wasn’t full but there was a good
crowd considering the time. All men and there’s not a single waitress. You want
something; you go to the counter and order from the owner. The man Mat is
digging from is called Mike Jenkins. Mike is the son of Harry. Took over the
diner when his old man died. Like Terry, he wasn’t shy about his support for
the bill.
“All I need to do is to look
at my profit. It practically triple since the bill was passed.”
“I can understand your view
from an economical standpoint, but what about the morality of the issue. Taking
the vote from women? What about your daughter, don’t you think she deserve the
vote when she’s older?”
“The women voted for it as
well. And most don’t regret their decision.”
“You sure? What about your
waitresses, you don’t think they want the vote?”
Mat didn’t know what to
expect but Mike’s laughter wasn’t it. “Considering that I have to raise their
pay twice in the last year, I don’t think you will find them complaining.”
“Really? Business is that
good?”
“Oh yes sir it is. All the
tourists need to eat somewhere right? And we have a lot of tourists these days.”
A customer walked in. Mike saw the man and greeted him. Then he turned back to
Mat.
“By the way, what are you?”
Mike asked.
“What?”
“Reporter, activist or
tourist? That’s all we have since the bill passing”
“Reporter. Why?”
“The way you spoke, I thought
you were some sort of feminist activist or something. Those guys are nothing
but trouble.”
“The town is having some problems
with feminist activists?” This was unexpected, though Mat wasn’t that surprise.
The bill must have been a lighting rod for the feminists’ movement.
“Yup. You want people unhappy about the law,
look for them. Come into town, set up picket lines all over the place. They
held 3 rallies in front of Evans’ house already.”
“Any arrests?”
“Can’t do that without bad
publicity. That’s what those guys want anyway. Publicity.”
“Really? Where can I find
them?” A strange idea of a story began to form in Mat’s mind.
“At Spring’s Motel across
town. Call Danny, he’ll tell you which room they’re in.”
“Danny is the owner of the
motel?”
“Yup, he can’t stand those
guys as well.”
“Why?”
“His whole family voted for
the bill. Those activists have been trying to ‘convert’ them over since the
moment they found out. Driving him nuts.”
With
that, Mat gave his thanks, paid the bill and went back to the motel. The case
has suddenly become interesting in another level. The town people are happy
about the law but not outsiders. The story might have just changed in the first
2 hours he had been in town. Now that’s the mark of a good story. Still, he
needs to do some more digging. He looks back at the diner and saw Mike talking
to the man who just walked in. Like most small town, it looks like everyone
knows everyone here. Without paying it anymore attention, Mat continues walking
to the motel.
Inside
“How did it go?” Mike look at
John as he asked the question.
“Beautiful. You did the right
thing steering him to those activist.”
“Will it work?”
“Sure, the man is here for a
story. Can’t leave without one, so let’s give him one.”
“But I doubt this was the
story he was coming for.”
“So? It’s a good story and we
need a way to get rid of those guys. Like you told him, those activists are driving
the town nuts.”
“That bad huh?”
“Richard can handle them, but
when they go poking their noses at the townsfolk…something is bound to happen
sooner or later right?”
A man further down the diner
call out, “Hey John! Some service here.”
“Hold your horses man, didn’t
Sarah cook you something today?”
“She’s too tired from the
fucking I gave her last night, so I have eat your useless shit.”
The whole diner laughed. The men of Water Springs have a
lot to be thankful for, and no nosey reporter or activists is going to get in
their way.
Later
She was the town lawyer. The highest paid woman in town and
seemingly the most to lose if Richard Evans continues to be mayor. So it was
with some surprise to Matthew Mansell that Zoe Cusack was actually defending
the man who should be her natural enemy.
“Ms. Cusack, I’m sorry but
are you actually defending Richard Evans?”
“Defending is strong of a
word Mr. Mansell. I’m merely saying that people in
“But to do what he did!
Taking the vote away from women. From YOU! Are you not angry with him?”
“The only people I’m angry
with are those morons in the provincial government.
If they hadn’t got involved, the bill would never have passed the second time.”
“They
were only trying to help. Trying to kill the bill.”
“They
were nothing but glory hounds. Evans offered them a re-vote. If they had agreed
at first, we would have defeated it easily. Instead they rejected the offer and
that made to town people angry. And that’s why we lost.”
“But
the vote was due to Evans. If he wasn’t there, there would be no vote.”
“Richard
Evans put the matter to a vote. It was the people who voted it into law. That’s
democracy at work.”
“The
vote causes half the people in town to be without a voice. Tell me Ms. Cusack,
why aren’t you as a smart intelligent woman angry with Richard Evans?”
Cusack
stayed silent for a moment, and said, “I have to give credit where credit is
due Mr. Mansell. Since Richard Evans came into office, Water Spring is booming.
Business is good, jobs are easy to find and even the population has increased.
The first time that happened in about 8 years. I hate to say it but the man is
doing a good job.”
“The
population has increased!” No wonder the town was bigger than he was told. But
there’s something not right about that. “Wouldn’t the population decreased
because of the bill? I mean surely the women who can go will leave.”
“Some did, but they came back
when the money came running in. With money came jobs; with jobs came even more
people. You’re not going to find too many town people against Evans, Mr.
Mansell.”
“So…you are okay without the
vote?”
“So far, it hasn’t hurt me
yet. My practice is booming as well”
“What about his other ideas? Only
men for senior positions and that women are considered property. Since women no
longer have the vote, those bills might just pass.”
“That is true. But Evans
hasn’t done anything on those ideas yet. And they will probably stay exactly
right where they are; ideas.”
“You’re willing to take the
chance.”
“Considering that I don’t
have any vote, I don’t really have a choice in the matter.”
A
few minutes later, Mansell left the office. Zoe immediately picks up the phone
and dials HIS number.
“Evans here. Who is this?”
“Master, the reporter has
just left. I did everything as you commanded.”
“Any problems?”
“No master, he seems unaware
of the town’s situation. You do not have to worry.”
“You are a woman!” Her master
sounded angry. “Anything you women are involved in always cause problems.”
Zoe realized her mistake.
“Yes master, I’m a stupid worthless woman. I forgot my place; please punish me
for my forgetfulness.”
“Get your ass over here
Shitface.”
“Shitface hears and obeys,
master.”
Outside
Mat is not happy. How the hell is he to write a nasty story
on the town when everyone is so happy about everything? Zoe Cusack was no help.
When he found out from Terry that the town lawyer was a woman, he felt sure he
can get some dirt from her. Instead, she ended up defending the every system
she should be tearing down. Mat look at the time.
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