The Enigmatic Mr. Dawsley

by Michael Bergquist

  “Good as any other reason, is it not?”

  “It really is not.” I replied.

  “Well, that’s how I’m voting. Now if you’ll excuse me.”

  “I will pay you a thousand dollars to come and work for us.” said Dawsley.

  The man lowered his sunglasses to look at Dawsley more clearly.

  “A thousand dollars?” he said.

  “A thousand dollars.” repeated Dawsley.

  “Make it two and I’ll help.”

  “It’s a deal. Take this paper and report to the office at the address on the form.”

  Dawsley handed him the form and walked away. I shot a disgusted look at the man on the bench and followed after my companion. This campaign seemed as if it would be filled with people like the man on the bench, out for themselves and no one else. I must admit that I did not even fully trust Gainsburg, for at the end of the day he was still a politician. Dawsley, however, trusted him completely.

  We approached several more people and were able to recruit a few, both men and women. With these additions to the campaign staff, we returned to the campaign office and found Gainsburg instructing our recruits as to what they would be required to do. Dawsley smiled at the sight, clearly feeling a sense of accomplishment. He truly believed in Gainsburg.

  The new recruits began making calls to the homes of potential voters to ask who they would be voting for and to try to convince them, if they were not convinced already, to vote for Gainsburg. It seemed like an awful job and I was glad that it was not mine. All we had to do was supply the finances to run the campaign and run some errands every now and then. We spent the day picking things up and dropping things off. Envelopes and folders, as well as monetary payments, exchanged hands for the entirety of the day. That night, the limousine brought us back to the estate where we drank spiced rum and conversed about the events of the day. When we reached a certain level of drunkenness, Dawsley began to play one of his upbeat songs on the piano. I danced what I thought was a jig and laughed all the while. Sandra was less than enthused when she entered the room.

  “Shhh!” she said. “Time for sleep! No music, sleep! Go!”

  She pushed and pulled us out of the room and we retired to our respective bedrooms, falling asleep quite quickly.

  Chapter 9

  The following morning, Dawsley and I met in the dining room for breakfast. Neither of us felt sick from the previous night of drinking, which was fortunate. Dawsley reached across the table and picked up the coffee.

  “Maybe not today.” I said.

  “What do you mean?” he asked in reply.

  “The coffee. Perhaps it would be best to avoid it.”

  “I’ll just have the one cup.”

  He poured the coffee into a crystal mug and began to sip it slowly. I picked up a newspaper and began reading. None of the stories were of much interest other than those regarding the election for governor. The polls had listed DuChamp as in the lead by a significant percentage. I believed it to still be early in the race, but I felt it would do no good in sharing the poll information with Dawsley. He seemed in relatively high spirits this morning, which was refreshing and contagious.

  The driver from the day before picked us up again and drove us to the campaign office. Gainsburg and his newly acquired staff were all hard at work when we entered.

  “Good morning!” said Dawsley loudly.

  “Morning, boys.” replied Gainsburg.

  “How goes the election?”

  “Not terribly, but by no means well.”

  “How can we help?”

  “Actually, I need the two of you to attend a meeting on my behalf. I need a certain politician’s endorsement if I’m to remain a part of this election.”

  “Which politician?”

  “Congressman Bell.”

  “Well, we shall meet with Mr. Bell and secure that endorsement!”

  “I’m glad to hear it! The meeting is at noon at the Atlantis. You know the place?”

  “We do.” I replied.

  “Excellent. Don’t screw it up, gentlemen.”

  With that, he picked up his phone and punched a bunch of numbers before cracking a big, phony smile and flattering the person on the other end of the line with hollow compliments. I was really beginning to not like Mr. Gainsburg, but if Dawsley believed in him, then I had to as well.

  At a quarter to noon, Dawsley and I were picked up by our driver and brought over to the Atlantis. Dawsley let out an irritated sigh which informed me of his feelings toward the restaurant. I disagreed with him. The place was a luxurious palace of a restaurant. The architecture was of an ancient Greek design and columns from Atlantis itself helped the building remain standing. The floors were made of marble and stone and the walls were adorned with large murals of Gods and Goddesses. Tables were scattered about the room and there was not a casually dressed person to be seen. I, therefore, felt out of place.

  A waiter escorted us to the table where the congressman was seated. He was squinting at his menu through his glasses and could not seem to focus the words enough to read them. He was an older man with bright white hair and a grey mustache. We greeted him and shook hands before taking our seats at the table.

  “Where’s Gainsburg?” asked Bell.

  “He deeply regrets not being able to make it.” I replied.

  “He wants my endorsement, so he sends a couple of his flunkies?”

  “We are his financial backers.” said Dawsley calmly. His seeming professionalism surprised me. I was whole-heartedly expecting a grandiose statement of little practical meaning.

  “I see. I suppose there’s a difference.”

  “We are hoping that you will support Mr. Gainsburg in his campaign.”

  “Why should I? I’ll have you know that a very prestigious man in this state is offering me quite a bit of money for my endorsement of Mr. DuChamp.”

  “His name wouldn’t happen to be Finlow, would it?” I asked. Bell looked surprised and flustered.

  “It’s none of your business what his name is!” he proclaimed.

  “It’s no secret that Finlow is backing DuChamp. If he is offering you a sum, we’d like to try and outbid him.” I replied calmly.

  Bell sat back in his chair and smirked.

  “Oh yeah? How much are you offering?”

  “We can double what he’s paying you.” said Dawsley.

  “I highly doubt that.”

  “Might I ask why?”

  “The man is not only paying me a handsome sum of money, but he’s investing quite heavily into my business.”

  “Gainsburg can do the same.”

  “I don’t think he can.” said Bell. “Gainsburg is anti-mining. An investment in mining would therefore be a tad contradictory, don’t you think? People tend to frown upon flip-flopping politicians.”

  Dawsley and I sat quietly while Bell smiled at us.

  “Is there anything we can offer you?” I asked.

  “I’m afraid not, sonny. My endorsement is already secured by Mr. DuChamp. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some interviews to attend. Get the bill, won’t you?”

  Bell stood up and nodded at us before exiting the restaurant.

  “Finlow, that vile dog!” exclaimed Dawsley.

  “I’m starting to understand more completely why you detest him.” I said.

  “Dear Truman, you don’t know the half of it.”

  “Will I ever?”

  “In time I am certain you will hear the story. However, this is neither the time nor the place for such a tale.”

  “Okay.”

  “Why would he invest in mining? The man is a thieving inheritor at best! Surely he has little reason for doing such a thing other than to damage our campaign.”

  “That does seem peculiar.”

  “Oh, what a dog he is!”

  A waiter came over with a plate of food, presumably ordered by Bell before he left. Dawsley decided he would eat it and pay and I decided to go for a walk.
I exited the restaurant and began to stroll down the sidewalk. Leaves had been carried on the wind and deposited on the streets and sidewalks, which were being swept away by men with brooms in several spots. I walked and thought about Dawsley. I could not pin the man in any way other than as an eccentric. He was an enigma, both foolish and genius at different times. I wanted Gainsburg to win the race for governor only so Dawsley would be happy. He seemed to me to possess a deep sadness, masked by false excitement and euphoria. Perhaps, though, I was wrong. It was too difficult to tell with Mr. Dawsley.

  My thoughts shifted to that of Mr. Finlow. I did not know the man well enough to formulate an honest opinion, but Dawsley had become a sort of friend and so I would side with him no matter what. I tried to piece together their history from what I had gathered from their encounter. They had known each other since boyhood, that much had been outright stated. Finlow had implied that Dawsley and himself had been faced with tragedy and Dawsley had implied that Finlow was teased by the other boys. Could such a rivalry exist due to such petty boyhood actions? Surely there was more to the story, for the fate of Atlantia’s politics was to be heavily influenced by said rivalry.

  As I walked and pondered all of these questions, a limousine pulled up and the door opened. I entered, assuming it was the car that Dawsley and I had been in earlier. I went to greet my companion, but came face to face with the monocled fiend, Mr. Finlow.

  “So glad you could join me.” he said softly.

  “What’s going on?” I asked.

  “I just want to talk.”

  “I don’t have anything to say.”

  “No?”

  “No.”

  “Well, congressman Bell tells me you just met with him.”

  “So what?”

  “So it would be wise to leave the man alone. Our business is important and not exclusive to this silly little race for governor. I do not want you and your foolish companion accidentally impacting my business.”

  “We just want his endorsement.”

  “You will stay away from him.”

  “Oh, but we will not!”

  Finlow scowled for a moment before smirking again and lightly chuckling. I suddenly felt Dawsley’s passion to have Gainsburg win the election.

  “What do you even want with the mining industry? I gather that it is a new venture for you.” I said.

  “I could have been so much more than I have turned out to be, you know. Bell’s business is, indeed, new, yet very important to my future. Now, enough of my personal matters. You will not have the endorsement, I can promise you that.” he replied.

  Finlow smoothed his hair with one of his hands. He was going grey around the temples and his face was wrinkled from stress. His monocle annoyed me beyond words, but I ignored it and continued.

  “And I can promise you that we shall have the endorsement.”

  Finlow scowled again.

  “You would be making a colossal mistake, young man. Now, get out of my car, you piece of common trash. You have overstayed your welcome!”

  He pressed a button that was next to him and the car came to a stop. I exited quickly and found myself back in the exact spot I had been picked up in. I watched the limousine speed off and frowned to myself. Finlow had placed me on his list of enemies, which caused me great fear. Unlike Dawsley, I did not have the means to oppose such a man and I knew that if it came to conflict, I would lose almost instantly. I must admit that for several minutes I considered the idea of leaving town. I would cross the bridge by cab and hop a train going West to start a new life, free from the quarrels of the wealthy and out of their reach. Then, I remembered Dawsley and knew that I could not allow myself to abandon the man, regardless of how threatened I felt by Finlow.

  Chapter 10

  I walked over to the campaign office and found everyone hard at work. Dawsley was nowhere to be found.

  “Has Mr. Dawsley stopped by?” I asked Gainsburg.

  “No he hasn’t. You lost him?” he replied.

  “I’m afraid so. After the meeting we parted ways for awhile.”

  “I’m sure he’s fine. However, I received a call from the congressman.”

  I braced myself for the verbal assault that I was sure was coming. Instead, I received a pat on the shoulder.

  “You boys did good work.” he said. “Bell is in.”

  I did not know how to respond. Both Bell and Finlow had assured me personally that we would never receive the endorsement. Dawsley must have done something. That was the only way I could conceive the change occurring.

  “Did he say why?” I asked.

  “What?”

  “Nothing, never mind.”

  I walked away quickly and exited the office. I was exhausted and hungry and worried about Mr. Dawsley. The man was not accustomed to being alone outside of his estate and any number of situations may have befallen him. I hoped the driver was at least with him. I found myself across the street from Atlantia Park and decided to stroll through it in order to ease my mind.

  As I was walking, I found Mr. Dawsley. He was sitting under a tree, watching a father and son fly a kite together. I watched Dawsley from a distance, curious as to what he was doing. After several minutes, he rose up and began walking away with his hands in his coat pockets. I followed him from a distance, unsure of why I was doing so. He stopped in front of a man playing guitar and listened for awhile with his eyes closed. After a couple of songs, he tossed a few bills into the musicians open guitar case and continued his walk.

  I watched him sit down on a bench and he let out a deep sigh. I was unsure of how to react and decided to approach him. As I did, he put on a smile and greeted me. I sat down on the bench next to him.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked him.

  “What do you mean?” he said.

  “You’re alone in the park.”

  “Many people are alone in the park.”

  “That is true, but it still seems strange that you would be one of them.”

  “I assure you that there is nothing strange afoot.”

  “Okay.”

  “Speak, Truman, I can tell you have news.”

  “Well, we have received the endorsement.”

  “Yes, I made certain that we would.”

  “I had a feeling you played a role in it. How did you gain the endorsement?”

  “I paid him.”

  The answer seemed off. Bell had made it quite clear that we could not outbid Finlow.

  “He accepted this time?”

  “He did, indeed.”

  “But there is more.” I said. Dawsley smiled sadly and nodded.

  “He is to keep his private business with Finlow.” he said.

  “That does not seem so bad. Certainly it is not ideal, but it is not so bad.”

  “There is more.” he continued. “I am to stay away from his daughter.”

  “Who is his daughter?”

  “Ellie, the woman we met the other day.”

  “Excuse my confusion, but that does not seem like an issue.”

  “Perhaps not for you, but I am very much captivated by her. We have been writing to each other since that day in secret. Bell discovered some of our letters and now forbids any more to be sent. She is to marry Finlow some day and if she were to be with me, relations between Bell and Finlow would surely diminish. Money before love, Truman.”

  “I did not know you had been exchanging letters.”

  “Indeed we have. As I said, we were doing so in secret. I had a letter taped to the bench where we met. She found it and responded the very next day. From there, we left each other letters in different parts of Atlantia. Now it is over.”

  Dawsley transformed before my eyes into a feeble old man, despite the fact that he was actually in his mid-thirties. This new agreement with the congressman had taken a large toll on him.

  “There will be other women.” I said in an attempt to console him.

  “I suppose so.” he replied.

 
“Shall we head back to the estate?”

  “That sounds in order.”

  We left the park and found the driver smoking a cigarette outside of the limousine. He flicked it away and got in the car. We entered as well and the car took off down the road.

  “Mr. Dawsley,” I said, “why would you give her up in exchange for the endorsement?”

  “I made a commitment to Gainsburg and this state.” he replied.

  “Surely you would be able to overlook it, though?”

  “Perhaps, but the one thing my father taught me himself was to always honor commitments.”

  It was both admirable and noble. Mr. Dawsley turned his head and stared out the window, lost in saddened thought. I hoped that the following day of working would return his spirits to those grand heights that seemed so common to him.

  Chapter 11

  We did not consume spirits that night, instead we went to our respective bedrooms. I did not sleep much that night, as I was too worried about the state of my companion. He may have been an impulsively foolish man at times, but he was a good impulsively foolish man and did not deserve what had happened.

  The following morning, we met again in the dining room. Dawsley was smiling and whistling and Sandra was shuffling around with a broom in her hands.

  “Good morning.” I said.

  “Ah, Truman! Good morning to you as well!” he exclaimed.

  “You seem in high spirits this morning.”

  “Aye, ‘tis true! Gainsburg called this morning.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He says we have a fighting chance. There is still hope for this state!”

  I smiled and poured myself a cup of coffee. The transition in moods in this man was truly remarkable. Perhaps he felt that his sacrifice had not been in vain. I decided not to question it any further, as I did not want to risk triggering an intense depression in him by mentioning the tragic events of the previous day.

  “When exactly is the election?” I asked.

  “Tomorrow!” he exclaimed.

  I nearly spit my coffee out onto the table. I had not anticipated it to be so soon.

  “We have only just started campaigning!” I cried out.

  “Yes, we have, but the campaign has been going on for quite some time. We were simply late to the party, but just in time to save it.” he replied.

  “So what do we do now?”

  “I think we shall take the day off and drink. What do you say?”