August 2010

Met John Doe for lunch. He’s a lawyer who had an epiphany. A passionate guy. Can’t sit still. He had a small brochure folded into eighths. There were graphs and subsequent copy on each panel positioned perfectly so that it opened and closed just right. I was immediately impressed. He talked politics and government and actually made sense. He explained his epiphany and that he felt he’d been called to initiate some kind of epic change in America. I thought about Martin Sheen in the Dead Zone for a second. He explained how every fifty years since the American Revolution there has been a generational effort to do something good and long-lasting for future generations of Americans. He cites specific examples. Even Social Security. Which, incidentally, was born fifty years ago – during a time that was much different from our own. He continued to talk sense about Social Security and other major (and majorly fucked up) government programs in America. He was very passionate. Upset. He wanted change – in government and in politics. He wasn’t a party man. This made me happy. 

He asked me to help him develop a communications strategy. 

I accepted. 

November 2010

Making national news with an unorthodox approach to politics as usual by relying on logic and common sense, John Doe scores an unprecedented victory  and becomes a NC Senator. Washington shudders. Lobbyists take the money and run. 

February 2013

President Obama signs a bill into law that changes Social Security in America forever. 

November 2016

John Doe is elected President of the United States. 

April 2105

My granddaughter, a talented but humble writer, retires with enough money to last her well into her hundreds without ever having been a burden to US taxpayers. 

All because I once had lunch with John Doe. 

***

Jim Mitchem/@jmitchem

Everything beyond August 2010 is fiction. For now. (more to come)

 

Posted via email from 300 Words

Why I Stopped Unfollowing People on Twitter.
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Jim Mitchem

Writer. Father to daughters. Husband. Ad man. Raised by wolves. @jmitchem on twitter. First novel, Minor King, out now.

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