The last month was difficult for Reggie. He was glad it would all be over soon. Never in his life had he been attacked and vilified so publically and unfairly. His opponent had come out of nowhere, a former lawyer from Carlisle County who was willing to do whatever it took to win. Reggie was unwilling to do the same and most said that was what cost him the election by a very narrow margin.

Reggie wasn’t so upset that Paul Campbell said such hateful lies, but that so many were willing to believe them. He had been part of politics long enough to know that integrity and honor did not trump intense ambition and thus some men were willing to sell their very souls for power. It was obvious Campbell was one of those. Reggie’s greatest fear was that Campbell’s ambition and selfishness would destroy the fledgling nation they had fought so hard to create.

“Five minutes, sir,” said a man at Reggie’s shoulder. Reggie nodded in return. It would all be over today. He would present his farewell speech in an outdoor arena to the executive council and any other civilians who chose to attend. Reggie couldn’t get a feel for the number of people there, but it seemed to be rather large. WKPO was also broadcasting his address live over the airwaves.

“All things come to an end. Don’t be such a baby,” he said making himself smile a little. His wife balanced on her crutches saw the smile and squeezed his arm and gave him a peck on the cheek which made him feel a whole lot better. Not all of this was bad, retirement did have its advantages.

Reggie spotted Paul Campbell in the crowd shaking hands and slapping backs. It had taken every bit of willpower Reggie possessed to congratulate him and concede the election once the ballots were in. Campbell was gracious in victory as he could afford to be, but it did not take back all of the things that had passed between them. Reggie considered not congratulating him, but people were watching and expected it. Civility and courtesy, even their shallow displays, were important, maybe now more than ever.

Despite the attacks, Reggie was still surprised he lost. All the negative issues that were exaggerated by Campbell were things beyond his control or issues he had worked hard to resolve. The war, of course, was a major issue, as were the actions after the Battle of Fulton. People were angry about the loss of electricity and the burning of Paducah, but all of that was really to be expected. What had probably done the most damage were the claims of disloyalty to the JP due to the less than harsh terms levied on the WTR at the peace table. People wanted blood, but they just couldn’t seem to understand that such a road demanded further war or total annihilation of the enemy. Reggie didn’t have the heart for either and wanted more for his people.

Reggie’s musings were interrupted by his introduction and the applause. He squeezed his wife’s hand and made his way up to the platform and a podium. The speaker shook his hand and then dashed off the other end of the stage. Reggie turned toward the people and was momentarily speechless at the size of the crowd. There had to be several thousand attendees and they all seemed to be cheering for him. Reggie fought back emotion. He had never considered himself needy or overly emotional, but the recent attacks had undermined his self-worth more than he admitted.

He looked down at the first row and saw friends and colleagues smiling back at him. Many of them had sacrificed as much or more than he. He looked them each in the eye, Clarence Anderson, Butch Matthews, Nathan Taylor, Harold Buchannan, Jim Meeks, and many friends from the council who had worked with him in good times and bad. Reggie instantly recognized a bond with these men born out of adversity and strife and sealed in victory. The public may not realize it or appreciate that sacrifice, but this made it all the more special and worthy of pride.

As the crowds began to sit down in groups on blankets and lawn chairs, Reggie saw Brazen standing there smiling at him. Before the ceremony he approached Reggie and gave him the other quote he carried with him everywhere. That quote was more apt and fitting now, and Reggie decided on a whim to use it.

“Thank you my friends. Thank you,” said Reggie as the applause died down completely. “Let me first thank you all for coming today. We should all be proud that we can gather like this.” There was a fresh wave of applause and Reggie waited for it to end before continuing.

“I would like to talk about my pride in my fellow citizens, my hopes for our new nation, and my dreams of a bright future,” said Reggie. He paused. “But first there is something else I must talk about. Some may say it is in bad form, but this is more than likely the last public address I will ever make, so I ask you all to bear with me and grant me some latitude.” There was some uncomfortable shifting and nervous laughter.

“Let me first say that many of the things said about me, my family, and other men and women who sacrificed so much for the public good were not only lie’s…” here Reggie paused to let the word sink in. He noticed that his nervousness was gone and he was angry. He would have to be careful, “…but also hurtful, unfair, irresponsible, and demeaning to those who have done nothing but give you their best. This campaign has been shameful and is embarrassing. We as a people are better than this.” Reggie heard grumbles and some words of anger, but saw Brazen’s encouraging smile and continued on.

“We keep talking about getting the world back to the way it was, back to the good old times. Well, friends, I’ve got to break it to you…not everything about the old world was good, including our lack of general courtesy and civility toward each other.” Reggie saw some looks of confusion, but the majority just looked uncomfortable.

“I know some will think my remarks quaint, but civility and courtesy are important. They are important because we cannot live together in a civilized society filled with light and decency and goodness without civility and common courtesy. These are the oil that allows the machinery of civilization to run, and before N-Day these traits were starting to break down, even if we didn’t want to admit it. Not everything about the old world was worthy of emulating. We lived in a world where any act of nobility, selflessness service, or personal sacrifice was so unnatural as to be incomprehensible. We can do better…we have to do better.”

Reggie decided that he wasn’t really speaking to the people he was looking at, but all the listeners on radios gathered in clusters across their new country. He decided to speak to them. “We have a rare opportunity here to make a new nation, a new world…better than the old, but it will not be given to us. We must use the ingenuity, hard work, and cooperation that our forefathers did when they hacked a life out of the wilderness. Were they better than we are, stronger? Were they more able than we, more courageous? I dare say no! The difference is that they were ready and willing to do whatever it took to survive and build better lives for their children and their children’s children. We must demonstrate that same spirit, and soon.”

“The war with the WTR has ended, and a peace that I pray will last is secured. But the world is still a dangerous place, and we will be a target for generations to come. We cannot afford to go back to the ways of the old world, the corruption, the lies, the deceit, the manipulation, the baseness, the senseless anger and the acts of violence! We want more and we must have more if we are to survive.” Reggie realized that he was nearly yelling and people were looking at him with shock. None of them had ever seen him like this.

Reggie took a deep breath. “Friends, we have to open our eyes. This nation we have made here out of the death and destruction is a good thing. Maybe even a unique thing, a light on a hill, but it is fragile still. This country is not a bunch of elected officials, or government structure, or bureaucracy…it is you and I, us, all of us working together toward something larger than ourselves, for the succeeding generations.” Reggie suddenly felt spent and tired and run down. He had said what he had been holding in. He had said his piece. Well, almost.

“One more thing friends and neighbors, and I will retire from you in every sense of the word.” Reggie pulled out the piece of wrinkled paper Brazen had given him and unfolded it carefully. “I have a saying here given to me by a friend.” Reggie smiled at Brazen who nodded back. “It was written many years ago by an American President who had seen and endured much adversity and had many unfair and hurtful things said about him. I feel it is apt now and I would like to close with his words rather than any of my own.” Reggie paused and looked out over the crowds before looking down at the quote and continuing.

“’It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.’ President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910.”

Reggie drew in a deep breath and looked over the crowd. It was enough, he could rest now. “Thank you all for giving me the opportunity to serve you. That service has been the most distinct and greatest honor of my life. Good evening to all of you, and God bless us all.” Reggie turned and walked off the stage and there was a moment of stunned silence before applause erupted like an oncoming wave.

Reggie first met his wife and gave her a hug and a kiss before they were both mobbed by people slapping his back, shaking his hand, and trying to talk to him. Reggie discovered that at that very moment he really did not care for any of it. He had no ill will towards them. Quite the contrary. But his soul craved peace and tranquility, like a starving man craved food. “Let’s go home,” he whispered in Janice’s ear and she smiled and kissed him again.

With the help of friends they were able to extricate themselves from the crowd and make their way over to the horse and buggy. Reggie helped Janice in while someone held her crutches. He then climbed up waving to everyone and Reggie had a sudden flashback to their wedding day thirty-eight years ago. He recognized how strangely similar the two scenes were. Reggie couldn’t think of a better or more welcome memory to come to mind. He sat high on the seat with his wife beside him and looked out over the crowd cheering them. Reggie didn’t know if he had done a good job, but he knew he had done his best and it was enough. His work was done.

Reggie waved one final time, slapped the reins on the horse’s rump, and rode toward home and the peace he felt they had earned. It was a wonderful ending and also a promising beginning.

Theirs’ was a new world, if not filled with hope, then at least a tiny spark, a glimmer of hope that just might be enough.