TRUMP? NO!

 I went for lunch after the noon crowd had split. I joined "Delta" Dave Handelman. We ordered a pound of fajitas. The meal came with chips, frijoles a la charra and tortillas. Dave ordered a Tecate, but it was too early in the day for me to drink. I wanted to hit the weights in the afternoon and play tennis with Estanislao in the evening. The first significant norther--temperatures predicted to drop 20 degrees and linger for several days--was blowing into Brownsville and it was gathering steam. A cold front gathering steam? I thought to myself. A better metaphor might inspire me later. Perfection is a difficult goal to achieve.

"One week from today and we'll know," said Dave. "How does it look to you?"

"After Clinton's defeat, it's a cliffhanger. And if we suffer another defeat, it will be a heartbreaker. You and I agree that we know nothing, but we may be outnumbered by the ignoramuses who believe they know something."

"But the numbers are trending in our favor and Biden owns a huge lead in the electoral college. There are at least a dozen states up for grabs and Biden is leading in everyone except for a couple and in those he is only trailing by a few points. I calculate that if he wins four of these twelve, he is the next president."

"I don't disagree with your numbers and I am cautiously optimistic, but there is so much at stake that you can't help but be paranoid. The consequences of a loss will plunge this country into chaos with the pandemic gaining strength as it sweeps the country once again. Trump is holding these outrageous rallies in which wearing masks and maintaining social distancing is considered an insult by the president. Trump has committed his strategy to Darwin's survival of the fittest that in his scientific mind will evolve into a herd immunity. If a million people have to die, Trump is willing to pay that price with our lives. We can't fully enjoy this meal because COVID could ambush us anywhere and at anytime. He has a rich man's mentality. I wouldn't be surprised if he could trace his heritage back to Maria Antoinette. He wouldn't think twice about snarling as we struggled for our health and with employment disappearing, 'Let them eat cake!'"

"Do you believe that if Trump loses that he will resort to the courts to reverse the result?"

"He will do anything to retain power. As a person, a politician and a plutocrat, he has no moral compass. He must triumph at all costs. He was raised a pampered child and the Republicans have pampered him as president. I usually say if you win by one point or 50 points it doesn't make a difference, but I'm praying for a significant victory in the electoral college that even the most reactionary Republicans won't dare defend if he resorts to extreme tactics to retain power."

"Why are people so stupid when it comes to national politics?"

"Because they are as stupid when it comes to local politics. Can you imagine Erasmo Castro and Carlos Elizondo on the school board? Can you imagine John Chambers as sheriff? When the authorities arrested them for their various felonies and misdemeanors, they should have thrown away the keys once these three were in their cells. They, like Trump, are nothing but agents of chaos. Their idea of making things better is by making things worse. In Brownsville we are known as the Third World Capital of the United States. Leadership isn't following misguided madmen off cliffs. Leadership isn't refusing to take responsibility for 225,000 deaths with thousands more to follow as the cases surpass all-time highs. We've had an easy life, partner. We let all the poor whites, blacks and browns fight and die for us in Vietnam while we pursued literature degrees and drank, smoked and fucked to our heart's content. We've been cruising our entire lives. We know history. Life isn't supposed to be easy. And now we know. Will we ever know normal again when by merely leaving our homes we are risking our lives?"

"Take it a step further. Whenever our wives and children return home from an errand or an outing, we are at the mercy of dwindling odds. And god have mercy on our souls if we dare allow someone other than a family member into our houses. But we haven't surrendered completely, have we? Texas football still reigns, doesn't it? How did Michael do in his last game?"

"They won, 14-13, and Michael was the leading receiver. He played well. I feel so sorry for our youth. They deserve normal lives, but I'm sure Jewish mothers and fathers felt the same way as their families were uprooted and condemned to death in concentration camps. Everything is relative. I don't want Michael deprived of his football season, but then I think about all the families who have been deprived of 225,000 loved ones and I have to reprimand myself for my selfishness. We have survived the plague unscathed thus far although if I had to bet, I would wager that Biden has more of a chance of winning than us escaping COVID. Trump owes us a pound of flesh and we must collect all 250 pounds from that fat pig. Karma is a bitch and Trump is a bastard. I wish I were St. Peter when that motherfucker came knocking. He would receive an immediate one-way ticket to hell. Since I'm not manning the pearly gates, I can only hope that we can give this piece of shit a one-way ticket out of Washington D.C."

"Do you think the Dodgers will clinch the World Series tonight?" asked Dave.

"I could care less, compadre. There is only one game in town and that's the presidential showdown next Tuesday. We have to win. Defeat is a death sentence."