Sons of Fortune

“Ralph Elliot, who else?” said Tom. “He’s been working on his campaign since the beginning of last term.”

“But that’s against the rules.”

“I don’t think Elliot has ever cared much about rules, and as he knows you’re far more popular than he is, we can look forward to a dirty campaign.”

“But I’m not going down that road…”

“So we’ll have to take the Kennedy route.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“You should open your campaign by challenging Elliot to a debate.”

“He’ll never accept.”

“Then you win either way. If he does accept, you’ll wipe the floor with him. If he doesn’t, we can play the ‘he flunked it’ card.”

“So how would you set up such a challenge?”

“Send him a letter, a copy of which I’ll post on the bulletin board.”

“But you’re not allowed to post notices without the principal’s permission.”

“By the time they take it down, most people will have read it, and those that haven’t will want to know what it said.”

“And by then I’ll have been disqualified.”

“Not while the principal thinks Elliot might win.”

It was six thirty on the first day of term when Nat and Tom stood alone in the parking lot. The first vehicle to come through the gates was the principal’s.

“Good morning, Cartwright,” he barked, as he climbed out of his car, “from your excess of enthusiasm at this early hour, am I to assume that you’re running for president?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Excellent, and who is your main rival?”

“Ralph Elliot.”

The principal frowned. “Then it will be a fiercely fought competition, because Elliot won’t roll over easily.”

“True,” admitted Tom as the principal disappeared toward his study, leaving the two of them to greet the second car. The occupant turned out to be a terrified new boy, who ran away when Nat approached him, and worse, the third car was full of Elliot supporters, who quickly fanned across the parking lot, obviously having already been through a dress rehearsal.

“Damn,” said Tom, “our first team meeting isn’t scheduled until the ten o’clock break. Elliot obviously briefed his team during the vacation.”

“Don’t worry,” said Nat, “just grab our people as they get out of their cars, and put them to work immediately.”

By the time the last car had disgorged its occupants, Nat had answered nearly a hundred questions and shaken hands with over three hundred boys, but only one fact became clear. Elliot was happy to promise them anything in exchange for their vote.

“Shouldn’t we be letting everyone know what a sleazebag Elliot really is?”

“What do you have in mind?” Nat asked.

“How he cajoles new boys into parting with their allowances?”

“There’s never been any proof.”

“Just endless complaints.”