THE “PANIC OF 2020”-6
579 Words
HE STOOD AND I DID as well. He stepped off the small porch and I followed.
“One last question, D. J. – how about China, the Press, and the WHO?”
“That dust is still settling. Xi might be head of a captive state, but he's still accountable to his people. And the lies the Chi-Com's have told are now exposed. It's up to them to quit lying. Meanwhile, they are reaping the economic whirlwind.
“Since the WHO is lead by a proved Chi-Com flunky, there's going to have to be some reorganization before anyone takes them seriously again. Our own CDC will have to take up that function – and do it accurately and without bias this time. After all, 'once burnt is twice shy'.
“As for the Press, they keep losing more viewers every day. People wise up to the constant lies and exaggerations. And so do their advertisers. They'll have to smarten themselves up soon, or they'll be out of business. Or at least 'hope springs eternal'.
“Once a person is caught lying, nothing they say after that is trusted. Takes a long time to earn that trust back. You can't simply repeat 'most watched' and 'most trusted' over and over and make it true.”
I had to ask, “And how about the rest of the country?”
C. J. sighed. “We're still working to get the regulations out of the way. If you want people to move faster, make it so there aren't so many hurdles to jump. Well, it's still probable that any herd can be stampeded from time to time. But if you want to run a successful business, study the successful business-owners and managers. If you want to cure a disease, then talk to doctors who have successfully cured that disease, but...”
“But?”
“...But don't ask a pandemic specialist or a political-cult follower how to run the business-economics for a nation. Especially if they are on the payroll of that nation's competitor.”
We were now standing about where he first arrived in my 'front yard'.
The President stuck out his hand, I shook it. “Thanks, John for a marvelous evening. I enjoyed our talk – and that great apple pie.”
“And thank you Mr. President, for another story I can write – of course, with the confidential parts left out.”
The President smiled. “And of course, only as fiction – no one would ever believe this was a true story.”
Sal appeared at his side on that note, dressed again in her beige suit with gold pinstripes, her hair once more wrapped into a tight blond bun with ivory hairpins to hold it in place.
A slight gesture from her index finger returned the President to his usual dark suit and red tie.
And he grinned broadly at the two of us.
“Out of all this, we did find that there was a third all-natural antiseptic that solved any viral outbreak: in addition to sunshine and warm air (preferably fresh), there's also hope. Those three beat the pants off any fear-driven pandemic – every time.”
Oh - one last point, John. People will make mistakes. But there's a good that comes through in hard times as well. Politicians – Lord help us – are trying to work with what they have and what they know to be true. So they can really screw things up. But if you trust in people, they always come through – like our great volunteers. Just a matter of faith.”
At that he took Sal's offered hand in the same handshake they had when they arrived – and the two shimmered out of my view.
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- Writer
