A Short Story (not a parody)

Here's a short story that occured to me this morning while I was at the coffee shop sipping a latte (yeah, I know, how stereotypical).

What America Needs
by Real-Life Name

"America needs a united and effective opposition party to carry our message of change and hope to the American people in November," the woman on the screen was saying.

Meanwhile, Regina McKenzie was on her hands and knees on a blanket in front of the set, tickling the ears of her daughter Rosa. "C’mon, girl," she cooed. "C’mon, girl, I know you’re ticklish there."

As expected, four month old Rosa Helen McKenzie laughed. Then, distracted by the sound of the TV, she turned her head toward the set, and cooed.

"This primary conflict has been long and closely contested, and a certain bitterness of tone crept in. I did not expect it, and I make no excuse for it now," continued Hillary Clinton.

Little Rosa made her endearing infant laugh again. "Yeah, Rosa, isn’t it fun? Mrs. Clinton is conceding so that nice man Mr. Barack Obama can win the nomination." Regina tickled some more, but Rosa didn’t laugh again. "All tickled out, aren’t you, darling?"

Still staring at the screen, Rosa cooed again.

"No, Rosa, that’s not your grandma. That’s just Hillary Clinton."

"It would have been a great honor for me to be entrusted by the American people with the highest office in the land," Senator Clinton continued. Regina glanced at the screen, and saw no throng of cheering, sign-waving supporters. It was a press conference, not a campaign speech, and not an occasion for a Clinton supporter to cheer about.

"It would have been a still greater honor," Hillary continued, "to be the first woman President of the United States." Regina turned to face the screen. Her mouth dropped partway open. "I am confident that somewhere in America today, there is a young woman who will write that page in history. I would like to think that this campaign has paved the way for her."

Regina laughed, briefly and uneasily. She and her husband Mack had been Obama supporters from the beginning, but why was she suddenly so sad?

"Maybe she’s listening to me right now," the Senator speculated. "If so, I want to say to her, ‘Young lady, don’t lose heart. Your time will come.’"

Regina turned back to little Rosa, still lying supine on the blanket, and said, "Oh, Rosa, isn’t it too bad that Obama had to beat a woman to get the nomination?"

"But it will not be this time. The American people have spoken, in primaries and caucuses all across the land, including Tuesday’s results in Ohio and Texas, and they have spoken for Senator Barack Obama."

Regina took a deep breath. It’s alright, she thought. We got the nominee we wanted. Maybe Chelsea will be president someday.

"I congratulate my colleague Senator Barack Obama on his victory," said the woman on the screen.

The baby cooed again. Regina bent over her child again, and intensely studied the light brown baby-face with its delicate features and the bright expressive eyes that would not stay blue much longer. The family was still arguing about which parent Rosa resembled. I so hope she’ll have red hair like me, Regina thought fondly.

"We are all Barack Obama Democrats now," Senator Clinton announced.

In general, she thought the baby looked like Martin. The child’s coloring neatly split the difference between her mother’s and her fathers. Just then, as if prompted by Regina’s thoughts, her cell phone rang.

"I hereby release all my pledged delegates, and offer him my full support for the General Election," Senator Clinton continued.

Regina picked it up from the blanket and answered.

"Hi, Martin."

"Are you watching the news?"

"Yeah, CNN’s got her concession speech on right now."

Martin laughed the vigorous, deep-throated laugh that she had always found endearing, from long before they actually started dating. "The fat lady is singing, honey. It’s over! Hillary Clinton is so over."

"Yeah, that’s great, Martin. Rosa’s a political junkie already, staring at the screen." She glanced back at the screen. Senator Clinton was finished, and was now answering a question about how she could help allay the lingering bitterness from the primary season. "But ya know what, Martin? I’m kind of disappointed we can’t have a woman president yet."

"Who says we can’t? We just can’t have this woman."

"Yeah, I know. Too divisive, a blast from the past." Regina felt herself tearing up a little. Am I crying, she asked herself, because Hillary lost?

"That bothers you, doesn’t it?" said Martin. "Maybe little Rosa will be President someday."

"Yeah, maybe she will." Regina glanced fondly at the little brown puffy-cheeked face on the blanket. "Or maybe I will. President Regina Dorfmann McKenzie." She felt her spine straightening, her head rising, as if unbidden by her conscious mind. She felt like a soldier at military attention, even though she was still on her knees before her infant daughter.

Martin paused a moment before responding. "I’d be very proud of you."

"It’s an idea whose time has come," said Regina, her voice rising a little. "I could go to law school like my mom did. After a few years of legal practice, State Representative, State Senator, U. S. Senator, who knows? Or I could go the Governor to President route."

"You’re serious about this," said Martin. "I’m impressed."

"Uh, yeah, I guess I am." Regina laughed again.

"I don’t know about Chelsea," Senator Clinton was saying. "I can tell how much she enjoys her foundation work and her work in the arts. She hasn’t shown much interest in anybody’s political careers except Bill’s and mine." Hillary Clinton smiled for the first time. "You’ll have to ask her about that. She’s a grown woman. She makes her own decisions."

"Well, I gotta go back to work, honey," said her husband. "I gotta make those scrubs forget about politics for a few more hours and get back to their PC’s."

"See you tonight dear. Love you."

"Love you too, and Rosa."

Click.

Regina looked down at Rosa. The press conference was nearly over, but it had already left echoes behind. I am confident that somewhere in America today, there is a young woman who will write that page in history ... Maybe she’s listening to me right now. If so, I want to say to her, "Young lady, your time will come."

Regina could not get those words out of her head. Now she understood why. Senator Hillary Clinton reminded her of her own mother. Juggling law school and a legal career with motherhood would be tough, but her mother had done it. If Helen Barksdale Dorfmann could do it, so could she. Helen had never wanted a political career, but she had shown the way.

Day care, hiring a nanny, getting Martin to help around the house --- one way or another, she would be a good mother to Rosa, and a dedicated public servant too. She would make the world a better place for today’s children to live in, even those who would not enjoy Rosa’s advantages. The namesake of Rosa Parks deserved no less.

The End