by S. Poulos
then, when they recovered, he asked, "Why are we laughing anyway?"
She burst again into laughter saying, "Nothing, honey, nothing! Oh, I am so happy, so happy to be with you."
THE VICE-PRESIDENT
The vice-chairman called for an urgent meeting with the other four. They met in the back room of the WCFET and he told them, "Friends I called you because something unexpected happened. The SIU turned down our request. They assure us that he is under surveillance since he put his foot on this country, but they cannot do any more than that unless they have authorization from the WCFET committee signed by the chairman, or from the home secretary. I phoned the secretary and he said he has to have the recommendation of the WCFET, but they are looking at the matter.
"It is a catch twenty two situation. They all play by the book. It is so frustrating," he said, lighting a cigarette. "It looks like we have to take the matter into our own hands. Has anybody any suggestions?"
"We are doing what we can under the circumstances. Besides, he is under surveillance from the SIU and the home secretary. What else can we do?"
"So... you are out?"
Complete silence.
"Anybody else in?"
Complete silence again.
Then the vice chairman said, "I don't blame you. This game is for grownups," and as they left the room and just before they closed the door behind them he mumbled... "Bloody cowards."
He sat in his chair in the room who knows for how long thinking and smoking then he went up to his office, grabbed a bottle of whisky and came back to the same room where he sat in the chair and started thinking again.
For some reason he could think better in this room. It was an ideal place for someone to think; to make a decision down in the basement in the back of the WCFET building, far away from man with all their weakness and their frivolities. He stayed in that room for at least another hour smoking and drinking, wondering how to solve the problem. Then his mobile phone rang. It was a friend. He was not in the mood for small-talk and was ready to end the conversation when his friend said jokingly, "Do you know that your 'friends' are going to appear in the Wednesday show on the international network?"
"Which friends?"
"Your best friends," he continued ironically.
"What are you talking about?"
"That loony agitator— the so-called Teacher— and the chairman of the WCFET." "Are you sure about it?"
"Yes, the trailers have already started to advertise the show."
"And who is going to be on it? The Teacher? The chairman? Both?"
"I don't know about that. The trailers don't mention anything. They only advertise the show about the scandal of the WCFET hearing."
He thanked his friend and he thought it was a good opportunity to solve the problem ones and for all. He thought that perhaps it was even an omen for his friend to ring out of the blue to inform him.
He reached home when it was pretty dark. The house was cold and uninviting; it was like that since his wife left him long ago. He opened the fridge to eat something. It was only a piece of pizza left from last night. He took it in his hand and turned on the television to the station his friend told him. It wasn't long before the trailer came on about the WCFET hearing scandal. So it was the truth after all? They were going to appear on an international channel to say their piece. That's what they think; he thought... that's what they think.
He took his cigarettes and a bottle of whisky next to his bed and lay down with his clothes on; he stayed in that position until he fell asleep.
Suddenly he woke up in the middle of the night with the solution to the problem he had been pondering; how to pass a gun in the television station for he knew they were searching the guests, let alone the ones that were not invited. For the first time after many months, maybe even years, he burst into a loud laugh. It was a nervous mechanical laugh but nevertheless a laugh.
Finally the day for the show came. The show would be broadcast live in prime time. About four hours before the show the vice-chairman had a shower, shaved and put his best suit on. He put the gun in his holster and drove off with the limousine he hired the previous day. It took him about half an hour to reach the house of the chairman. About two hundred meters before, he stopped at a spot where he had a nice view of the chairman's house and parked the car to wait.
After about an hour, a limousine arrived at the house. He saw the chairman getting into the back seat of the car, and the car drove off. He made sure to keep some distance from the other car until they reached the television station gates. By the time the chairman's car stopped at the checking point the vice-chairman managed to bring his car bumper to bumper with the chairman's car. After they checked the chairman's car, the security guard at the gate asked, "What is the purpose of visiting this premises sir?"
"I am one of the guests that will appear in tonight's show."
"Have you got an invitation, sir?"
"Look that was the chairman of the WCFET. I am the vice-chairman and this is my card. We will appear tonight at the show together. I was supposed to ride in the same car with the chairman but I have been invited to another show late at night and I am going to use this car."
"Well...the security man said after checking his card. I suppose it should be all right," and lifted the boom.
Piece of cake, thought the vice-chairman. Piece of cake.
There was a relieved feeling when the management learned that the Teacher had arrived. As soon as he came in they whisked him away in a special suite for VIP guests and started to brief him about the procedure. The Teacher's organizer and the rookie, now
Mr. Michael Armstrong— senior representative— were there ready to assist. The make-up artist was doing the final brushes on the Teacher's face even though he did not hide the discomfort of it. Finally they guided him into the studio where the show was going to take place. There he met the presenter. They shook hands warmly and sat down for a chat before the show.
"How do you feel today Teacher?"
"I could not feel better."
"You could not look better either. You look twenty years younger. They did good job on you."
"Do you sweeten guests up before you grill them?"
"I merely want to make them comfortable."
The chairman felt very nervous when he realized that the time was near for him to appear in front of the television cameras. The closer it got to it the more nervous he became— so much so that he felt he would give anything at that moment to avoid it. He had done this before. As the chairman of the WCFET, he took part in many panels discussing for various issues; he was as confident then as a peacock among the chickens in a chicken pen. But things had changed so much! Although it was barely past a week since the happenings in the WCFET, it seemed as though years had passed, as if he had he just woken up from a long sleep... as though as he had been elevated by a magic stick and lo! He was a new man. And why should he go through this torture? He was not the same man after all; his priorities were not the same. Before he would have loved this entire hullabaloo with limousines, glittering lights and cameras on him. In the past he was attracted to the spotlights, as the moths are attracted to them, unaware that this was their death trap. He liked all that plus the power and the money that attached to it.
Now he was not concerned about this anymore. Now he was at peace with himself and with everyone in this world. He was not concerned about power and money anymore. His wife was right when she told him that now the only thing they needed was shelter and a plate of food a day.
He thought it was over-exaggeration when she told him that, but now he felt just like that. He wanted internal peace; he wanted to enjoy life like that to make it up for all those years that he felt lost. Oh ...no, he did not have to go through this! Of course it was a good opportunity to hit back for all the slander he received, for all the dirt they threw at him and for no other reason but because he performed his work according to his conscience. But he was not interested about it anymore. He did not want any
revenge. He did not hold any grunge about anybody anymore. He felt he loved the whole world. He loved the birds, the trees and the flowers. He loved to watch the sea and its ripple of the waves on the rocks or on the sand, to watch the cloud formations and the mountains. He wanted to make up for all things he had missed during his hibernation time. He had no time to argue in front of television cameras for this and for that. He had done his bit and that was all.
But what would he say to his wife if he walked out of it? He told her they wanted him to make this show and she was proud of him and encouraged him.
How could he let her down?
These were the thoughts that were troubling him while he was waiting for the make-up artist.
Then an official come and said he was very sorry, but the plans had changed and he would not appear in the television tonight after all, and that the managing director would be here soon to explain.
When the chairman heard that he thought an angel had brought him the best message ever; it was a beautiful music in his ears. He wanted to get up and kiss this guy for this wonderful news but it took him such long time to absorb this unbelievable news, this wonderful happening, that when he looked around he was alone.
He got up and sped towards the managing director's office, remembering the way from a previous visit when he was participating in a panel show. He wanted to tell him he could keep the spotlights, the cameras and the
