Election Eve part one

It’s game time…

All the work. All the money. All the back room deals…
Tonight it all plays out. In the morning there’ll be winners… and losers. This one’s a real toss-up. It’s going to go down to the wire.

The Old Man and Antiem have had their ears glued to the telephone. Been like that all night. The party lackies are about to wet their pants, and Templeton with that pit bull Pedal both look like they had raw pork for lunch.

I prefer good bourbon. It keeps me from losing my perspective and it’s going to be a long night.

Sometime around two the returns from rural Missouri come in.
There’s a loud shout from the men huddled around the black board. BMF has dropped the phone. He and Anteim embrace…
Shit, I never thought I’d see that!

Klensor, that gangly goon, has actually saved our bacon. He pulled in the frontier vote. Damn if we didn’t steal this election right out from under Ole Vermin’s ass!
I bet right about now he’s frothing at the mouth!

The excitement is starting to build. Cheering and confetti start to fill the hall. I walk over to the corner where Templeton and Pedal have been camped-out all night. I have been saving some decent stogies for just this sort of occasion.

"Congratulations mister Vice President Elect, have a cigar."

He looks shell shocked, "I don’t think it’s sunk in yet," he manages to stammer out. "T-Thank you, b-but I don’t smoke…"

Before I can retract my offer, that little weasel Pedal snatches the stogie from my hand. He looks me square in the eye and says, "Hell, I’ll smoke the damn thing, got a light?"