The Blue Disc

by William B. Waits

  “Can we come along? I’d like to hear the discussion,” asked Rick.

  “Certainly.”

  The Leader strode up to the Chief’s hut and was announced by the Adamamo at the door. She entered and greeted the Chief with a warm smile.

  “Dear friend, you may well have outdone yourself with the games today,” the Leader began cordially. “The contest was close and exciting and I could see that the Euromamo had a fine time. We have many supporters of the Monkeys and the Caimans in our village.”

  “I’m glad you were pleased, Leader. We’re always gratified when our spectators are happy. I assume this is one of our usual after-game meetings to discuss matters of mutual interest. What’s on your mind?”

  “I value our meetings, Chief. I want to discuss the number of exchange sessions that occurred during the game. I counted twelve sessions whereas you agreed to eight or fewer. I know that Euromamo will complain to me about it when we return, and I want to have an explanation for them…and I want an explanation for myself.”

  “I don’t know what the count is, Leader. I know I designated someone to count, but I don’t recall right now who it is. I’ll check on it.”

  “All of this seems quite loose to my ears, Chief. Exchange sessions must be counted carefully each visit.”

  “You’re right, of course, but please consider that the number of exchange sessions is directly tied to our ability to fund the games.”

  “That may be true, but the number of exchange sessions can overwhelm us if there are no limits. We agreed to this sometime ago.”

  “We still agree to it,” said the Chief, offering no further comments.

  “Then abide by our agreement so we’ll continue to come to your games. If we can count the exchange sessions, so can you,” said the Leader, tersely.

  Rick hadn’t seen the Leader this firm since his arrival at the Euromamo village. She was ordinarily a model of civility and accommodation.

  “It would also be helpful if we could agree on a rule for terminating individual exchange talks, develop some signal that would tell the Adamamo exchangers to stop or, better yet, some symbol that Euromamo could wear while we are in your village—a wrist band, or even a circular disc worn around the neck--to signify to the exchangers that the person isn’t interested in acquiring anything.”

  The Leader was missing her blue privacy disc, Rick thought.

  “We’ve discussed such remedies in the past,” commented the Chief. “Unfortunately, our exchangers need as much access as possible to spectators as that increases sales.”

  “So they should be allowed access whether our people want to speak with them or not?” inquired the Leader, sharply. “Can’t you give us some peace?”

  At that point, a young Adamamo man entered the hut with a bag and approached the Leader. The Leader looked him up and down, foreseeing what was to come but not quite believing that it would happen in the Chief’s hut. The Adamamo withdrew a pot from his bag and held it out to the Leader.

  “This is a very fine pot, as you can see,” he began. “It would be a great honor for me to exchange with you, esteemed Leader of the Euromamo, for only a small return gift. You can see how well it’s made.”

  The Leader’s neck tensed.

  “No pot. No discussion of this in a hut.”

  “But you see how nice it is, with attractive decorations….”

  “We’re in a hut!” exclaimed the Leader.

  “I know, but...”

  The Leader grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer, drew back her leg, and kneed him squarely in the balls, producing a sharp, audible thud! He moaned piteously as he clutched himself and staggered backwards before crumbling to his knees. His fellow Adamamo grabbed his arms, softening his descent to the floor. His pot did not fare well, crashing into bits on the floor. Both groups, Adamamo and Euromamo, stepped forward, jaws jutting, ready for a melee. The Leader’s eyes darted around the room, staring down the Adamamo. The situation was very tense.

  “No fighting,” said the Adamamo Chief in a strong, authoritative voice. “Everyone stay put and remain calm.”

  “We’ll be leaving shortly,” the Leader said to the other Euromamo in the hut. “Two of you go outside and tell our villagers to prepare for the walk back.” Then, turning to the Chief, she whispered, “Before I leave, I’d like a few words in private.”

  They stepped to the side of the room. Rick watched them carefully and was close enough to make out what they were saying.

  “I apologize to you and to your people, Chief. I know I’ve acted inappropriately.”

  “Yes, you have, Leader. You have caused great pain to that young Adamamo who was simply trying to make a living by offering you a good pot.”

  “I’ll pay him for the broken pot in spite of his brazen rudeness. As you know, the rule is that no offers of exchanges shall be made inside huts. I told him to desist but he persisted.”

  “My Adamamo tribesman probably thought that, since my hut was being used for a meeting, it was no longer regarded as a hut under the rule.”

  “Your tribesman probably didn’t give a damn about the rule, only the exchange. To hell with your exchange offers, your pots, your baskets, and your disregard for our agreements,” said the Leader abruptly.

  As she turned sharply to exit the hut, she told John to give the pot salesman, who was still grimacing on the floor, some scato for the pot.

  The Leader stalked through the Adamamo village gathering the Euromamo for the trip back. As she proceeded, no Adamamo approached her to offer an exchange.

  CHAPTER 30

  The Election

  A week after Rick discussed the Euromamo political system with John, he saw Adjutant General Ubervis striding through the village, carrying a notice of the upcoming election printed in bold letters on a large sheet. As he wound through the village, about twenty Euromamo fell in behind him. Rick did also. When they arrived at the entertainment center, the Adjutant General entered the posting room and solemnly affixed the sheet to the Board of Official Notices using large blue tacks. After he left, Rick waited for the crowd to disperse so he could read the notice. It outlined the election process John had described the week before. One week hence, the four-week campaign period would begin. At the end of it, the informed electorate would elect the council. A week after that, the Council would elect the Leader. This much was clear, but Rick wondered what the campaigns would be like. He made his way to John’s shelter, checking before he knocked that a blue disc was not hung outside. None was there.

  “Central to the election,” John explained, “are the pamphlets that each candidate will write during the week before the campaigns begin. We’ll print an ample supply of them and place them in bins in the entertainment center so they’ll be available to everyone. By the way, the posting room is the only room in the village where no blue disc is ever displayed. There isn’t even a peg for one on the door frame. It’s truly a public space.”

  “If all candidates post a pamphlet, it must require a lot of printing.”

  “Yes, it does, but we get it done. A small room next to the posting room houses an old foot-driven press that works beautifully and doesn’t require any of our precious electricity. You should stop by and look at it later.”

  “I’ll do that. The printing press must require a lot of paper.”

  “Yes, it does. Early on, our forebears learned to make crude paper so we could record what we learned from the rain forest. Later, we built a small paper mill that meets our needs. The mill allows us to write and print freely, which is good because we don’t want to curtail either of those activities for lack of paper.”

  “Couldn’t you bring paper back from La Puerta?”

  “It was too heavy to transport in bulk, plus we didn’t need to after we improved our production of paper in the village.”

  “Are there guidelines concerning the pamphlets?”

  “Yes. By custom, the pamphlets can’t exceed four pages, which encourages candidates to
get to the point,” John explained. “Equally important, when candidates write down their positions, they think them through more carefully. As we say, ‘Writing tells you whether you understand a topic, or just think you do’.”

  The next week, Rick picked up copies of the pamphlets from the rack, and read through them. They were detailed compared to the slick political advertising flyers that he was used to, so much so that he wondered whether they would get a wide reading in the village. Over the next few weeks, he was pleasantly surprised to see copies of them carried about by villagers.

  During the election period, matters proceeded more quickly than Rick was used to. Candidates debated in the main room of the entertainment center for three weeks, taking questions from Adjutant General Ubervis, from their opponents, and from the audience. To Rick’s ears, the candidates acquitted themselves well, but it was difficult to tell who prevailed because some of the issues were complicated, such as apportioning labor to maximize social wealth, and choosing which social wealth projects to undertake. In addition to the debates, public meetings were held without candidates during which experts provided background on issues followed by open discussion. After listening to the presentations, Rick understood why the society needed an informed electorate. Finally, during the last week, the Adjutant General administered the public affairs test to prospective voters and he and his team discussed the results with individuals privately.

  Election Day was tense. Rick began by talking to villagers and making notes, but later joined the Leader, who remained remarkably calm through it all. As the sun set, he went back to his room, knowing that nothing else would happen while Adjutant General Ubervis counted the votes overnight. The next afternoon at 2:00 PM, villagers gathered in the entertainment center to learn the results. The Adjutant General strode onto the stage, looking somewhat weary but in good spirits. His medal glistened on the chain around his neck. After calling the room to order, he started with the person who had received the most votes for Council and worked down in order of votes received. The first four were current Council members who had been re-elected, but the other three were new members.

  “This completes the membership of the Council for the next three years. On behalf of the village, I thank the defeated candidates for their service to our village and wish them well.”

  The audience broke into spontaneous applause.

  The new Council met every morning that week to consider the candidates for Leader. At the same time, Adjutant General Ubervis held daily civics meetings in the entertainment center to discuss the political system and its underlying principles, such as separation of religion and government. The topics discussed during the week commonly found their way into the test questions for prospective voters during the next election; therefore, villagers liked to attend the meetings. At the end of each meeting, the Adjutant General asked for suggestions on how to improve the political system for future elections.

  On the morning of the last day of the week, the Council, along with the Adjutant General, sequestered themselves in the Council chamber in the entertainment center to cast their votes for Leader. At 2:00 PM, they emerged and made their way around the building to the main meeting room where a huge crowd of villagers had assembled. Adjutant General Ubervis walked onto the rostrum first, with the Council in tow.

  “Greetings. It’s my privilege as Adjutant General to announce the results of the Council’s vote for Leader, a vote that, pursuant to our election rules, was taken today by secret ballot. The vote is secret because we want Council members to cast their votes freely, without any apprehension about subsequent pressure. In my role as Adjutant General, I presided at the meeting and observed and tallied the vote. Judge Ravenswood verified the tally.

  “The current Leader, Mary Olive-White, received four votes, which is two votes short of the six votes required for her to secure election to a fourth term as Leader. As a result, Leader Olive-White was eliminated as a candidate and, as no other candidate received a majority of the votes—or indeed could have received a majority of the votes given that Leader Olive-White had received four votes of the seven—a second ballot was held. I hereby announce that, in the second ballot, John Eel Hunter was elected as our new Leader by a vote of five to two. After the tally, he came to the Council chamber at my request, whereupon I notified him of his election. He has agreed to serve in that capacity for the next three years unless, of course, these election results are overturned by 65% of the informed electorate following submission of a petition to me.”

  The audience broke into applause at John’s election.

  “I now ask John Eel Hunter to come forward and receive his neck medal signifying his new office, and an additional status button.”

  John walked up the steps to the stage, whereupon Adjutant General Ubervis placed the necklace over his head and pinned a new status button on his vest, announcing to all those present, “John Eel Hunter, having been elected by vote of the Council and, having confirmed to me your willingness to serve, I now declare you to be the Leader of the Euromamo for the next three years. I do so in confidence that you’ll always act in furtherance of Euromamo values. Best wishes and great success to you.”

  As they shook hands and smiled, the audience rose from their seats and applauded. John raised his arm in recognition of the applause and then moved to stage left. The Adjutant General stepped back as Martha Blakesley, the Head of the Council, stepped forward and raised her hands to get the attention of the room.

  “Everyone please remain for a moment. I’ve a Council resolution that I wish to read at this time. I know this is unusual but it’ll only take a moment.”

  As she pulled a piece of paper from her pocket, the audience quieted down and settled in their seats.

  “Mary Olive-White, please step forward to receive this resolution.”

  As she ascended the rostrum stairs, Rick noticed that she no longer wore the Leader medal around her neck.

  The Council of the Euromamo Says:

  Whereas, Mary Olive-White has rendered valuable and wise service to this society as Leader for nine years, and served with distinction in other capacities before that;

  Whereas, Mary Olive-White has been a model of civil behavior during virtually all of her service, not only for adults but also for our children and youths who are learning Euromamo values;

  Whereas, it is general knowledge that Mary Olive-White kneed a member of the Adamamo group in the groin because the Adamamo had solicited a sale inside a hut in the Adamamo village, which solicitation was in violation of the agreement that we have with the Adamamo prohibiting such activities;

  Whereas, such kneeing damaged the relationship of the Euromamo with the Adamamo and increased the risk of hostilities between the two groups, not to mention the possible damage to the man’s nether parts;

  Whereas, such kneeing damaged the reputation of the Euromamo with surrounding groups because we strive to be seen as advocates for the non-violent resolution of disputes;

  Whereas, such kneeing rightfully raised questions in the minds of certain Council members whether Mary Olive-White should serve longer as the Leader of our group;

  While recognizing the validity of these concerns, the Council hereby expresses its full understanding of the reasons for the kneeing and says to Mary Olive-White that it was one hell of a blow.

  Furthermore, the Council acknowledges the ambiguous nature of this Resolution but could not figure out how to resolve it.

  In conclusion, the Council conveys its best wishes to Mary Olive-White in her future endeavors.

  On Behalf of the Council:

  Martha Blakesley, Chair

  The audience rose again and applauded warmly as Chair Blakesley handed former Leader Olive-White the resolution. She waved briefly before walking down the rostrum steps and working her way through the audience who gathered along the aisle to express their good wishes.

  One came up and grasped her hand, smiling broadly, “You got yourself in a pickle this time,
didn’t you, Mary?”

  A woman added jovially, “I guess people—especially men—had better be careful about asking you to buy their stuff.”

  Rick thought she might be glum given that she had just lost her office, but she smiled broadly. As she left the main room, Rick trailed her through the foyer to outside where he could exchange a few words with her. He didn’t know how to begin.

  “I’m sorry about your defeat, Leader,” he offered haltingly.

  “It’s fine,” she replied. “I’ll get to read more, catch some fish, and decorate pots. I’ve always liked doing that. Of course, I’ll devote time to building social wealth, maybe by working on the roof of the library. It seems I’ve a dab hand with a tar brush, which I’ll put to use. By the way, I now go by my given name of Mary rather than by my former title. It’s custom.”

  Her smile seemed genuine, not at all fake.

  “It must be tough to no longer have the Leader’s authority….”

  “I’m sure I’ll miss it some, but I’ve had a nice run. Most leaders in democracies don’t have power for long.”

  “You’re not taking it personally?”

  “No. There’s some disappointment, but it’s not that bad. There are lots worse things than losing an election. Some Council members wanted a change, especially after I kneed that damned Adamamo salesman.” She walked a few steps, then added, “The Euromamo expect that those who are elected to office won’t become overly attached to their positions. That’s the attitude of the village, and it’s certainly my attitude. Now that I’ve lost, I’m going to live a happy, productive life. You can be sure of that.”

  CHAPTER 31

  To A World Less Able

  As part of his research, Rick went to the library to browse through the performing arts section. The large collection of plays and musicals there reflected the village’s roots in Shakespeare’s England. About half of the plays had run in London’s West End or on Broadway, but the other half had been written by the Euromamo. He recalled John’s telling him that students are encouraged to write as a part of their schooling and encouraged to continue writing in adult life. The Euromamo plays impressed Rick, based on his quick perusal.