Meeting the Constituents (SUPEROPEN; fast)

[MAYOR HECTOR "HADES" TORMEI]

Standing on the steps of City Hall is a man, tall, imposing, impeccably dressed. Despite his size and aura of dominance, he wears a kind smile and speaks in a warm tone, addressing the people who stood before him. He did not use a microphone or megaphone, his voice carrying on the slight breeze. His name was Hector Tormei, a newcomer to New York politics. He had arranged for the meeting on the City Hall steps to get close to the people, to let the people ask the questions they wanted to ask. Tormei, upon announcing that he was running for mayor, announced that he wanted to bring politics back to people.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to thank you for joining me out here on this fine New York day, on the steps of our beautiful City Hall. A lot of history has happened in this city, a lot of turmoil, a lot of panic. On September 11th, this glorious city banded together and created a bond with its inhabitants, and that is a bond that I believe should carry over into New York's government. That is why I am here, standing before you. I want to heal the rift between government and the people that modern politics has created. With the extremes controling the media, and the people reacting violently with weapons and hate, what this city needs is a mayor who is a part of the people, a mayor who will run the moderate ticket instead of catering to the party.

"I want to heal that rift, I want to bring the people back to the government. So I stand before you today, no security, no speech writer, just a man wanting to serve the city the best he can. I am here, for you. Now, please, ask me the questions that you have been wanting to ask Mayor Plantagenet, or the questions you have asked but have not been answered. I will be here for as long as you need me to be.

"Ask away."

[MEDEA KEKELIDZE]

It was a rare occasion that Medea was out on her own, without having been prompted by someone else. Medea was on her way to an office, to meet a friend before heading "home" for the day. Most of her acquaintances in New York were politicians, which was perfectly strange given her attitude toward the profession. They were people she had known before fleeing Greece, and many of them were contacts of her father's. Not everyone had abandoned her, though she did wonder often what made such influential people stand by the side of a controversial woman like her.

She heard a man's voice being projected over the din of the city's noise, and turned to see the speaker on the steps of City Hall. She pegged him as a politician even before hearing enough of his words. The dress, the demeanor, everything about him except his friendly tone screamed "elected official" to her. Then again, Medea had been surrounded by politicians for most of her life.

Curious, she walked over to City Hall and stopped among the small but growing crowd. She was surprised to hear him invoke September 11th after all this time, but she was still a newcomer to the city and decided she had no idea how the people of New York still felt about the tragedy. He also mentioned the city's current mayor, Plantagenet; all Medea knew about him was what she had skimmed in the newspapers and what her politician friends happened to mention.

At first, Medea thought she would simply walk away, but then she decided to take the opportunity to stir things up. She was not an American citizen- in fact, she was in the States on a visa and a few favors alone- which made the situation a bit more amusing to her. "I think I speak for everyone when I say I have a lot of questions," she said over the noise. "Who are you, and what is your background? What is your platform? And what makes you different from every other elected official this city has seen?"

She folded her arms- not in an angry or defensive way, but patiently, as she waited to hear whether the man would respond.

[MAYOR HECTOR "HADES" TORMEI]

Hector's plea for questions had been met with murmurs and stares, but no questions. Until a woman spoke up. Hector looked around until he could find the source. His eyes settled on the woman with exotic features and an accent. She wasn't from around here, but who was any more? New York was a conglomeration of cultures and ethnicities.

"I am Hector Tormei, born September 18, 1960, to Craig and Rhea Tormei, a couple of Greek immigrants. My father died when I was seventeen, my mother shortly after. I did odd jobs until I could afford my dream business, a bookshop which I now proudly own. I have been a resident of New York City my whole life, and I have participated in it for as long as I can remember,"

Hector took a couple of steps towards the crowd, his hands clasped behind his back. "As for my platform; I for one am tired of party extremists. Declaring oneself Republican, Democrat, Tea Party, Libertatian, Independent...it all seems like a waste of time to me. I am registered as a Republican, that is true, but I want to show the state, and the country, that being moderate is perfectly fine. I want to repair the country's lost spirit, as well as the problems that plague our beautiful city. I am going to cut administration's paycheck, the higher ups are earning far too much, and I am going to give that money to local law enforcement. The brave men and woman who serve and protect are underpaid, and underappreciated. I aim to fix that. Also, to rejuvenate the inner city projects that have been neglected for so long, to create jobs, and to improve the city's state of cleanliness and to bring nature back into the parts of the city that have been concrete jungles for far too long.

"And I can't promise that I won't end up like other politicians, but I can say that, at this moment in time, I am nothing like other elected officials because I am not one of them. I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth, I haven't had the best of educations, but I am here today because of what I have been able to make of myself. I am a successful business man without an Ivy League degree. I am not a politician, that is what is important. I am simply a man, just like any of you, wanting to do what is right,"

[MEDEA KEKELIDZE]

The man on the steps introduced himself in detail, in response to one of Medea's many questions. She was not immediately impressed by this. She knew there was nothing to be lost and everything to be gained by a politician's identity- his background, his trials- becoming well known. She noted that he mentioned his parents' death almost immediately. Perhaps this was something that affected him deeply, but Medea decided instead, rather cynically, that it was serving as a sympathy card at the moment, played at a perfect time to earn more votes.

Then again, she did have to agree with his thoughts on party politics. To her, parties caused more problems than they solved, though they were only a fraction of the issue. Tormei went on to detail his plans for the city, which, she also had to admit, were more detailed than the empty promises most politicians threw around.

When they saw that Tormei was looking for the person who had addressed him, the people in front of Medea had edged away a bit, making her feel suddenly and uncomfortably exposed. Nevertheless, she remained where she was, her arms still folded in front of her. She thought about the newspaper headlines she had seen and the heated debates among her friends that she had sat in on, and decided there was more to be asked. Since no one else was speaking up, it seemed the job would go to her, this foreign-born visitor who really had no stake in where the city went.

"The current mayor introduced some controversial new laws when he took office. What is your stance on those, and how do you plan to enforce or change them?" Medea asked, still polite, raising her voice just enough to project it over the surrounding noise.

[MAYOR HECTOR "HADES" TORMEI]

Anyone who is caught stealing will automatically be transferred to prison without trial. Anyone suspected of similar illegal activities will be brought in for questioning and held in prison until proven innocent.

Smoking in public places (such as parks and on the subway) is henceforth banned in order to lower pollution levels and medical costs.

"Richard's policies are misinformed and unconstitutional. The Bill of Rights was written by our founding fathers to protect citizens from the government. In the case of his first policy, the fifth, sixth, and eighth amendments give American's due process of law, trial by jury, and the guarentee of no cruel or unusual punishment. The law that any person caught committing theft is to go straight to prison, not jail, without due process or a trial by jury is cruel and unusual punishment. They are held until proven innocent while in this country, the accused are innocent until proven guilty. Not the other way around," Hector saw the crowd part, to reveal the inquisitor. He took a few steps forward, tucking his hands casually into his pockets.

"And as for the second policy, less than 20 percent of all New York residents smoke. Our high pollution rates are caused mostly by the severely congested street traffic and the continuous harbor arrival and departures. A mandate restricting smoking zones to private households, and at least twenty feet from the entrance to a public place of service, could easily solve that problem.

"My plan, if I am voted into office, is to repeal both of these policies. It is the duty of an elected official to uphold the ideals of the country, not brazenly ignore them. Will I strict on crime, yes. But I will not punish blindly. And, a smoking restriction would be imposed. I admit, I do enjoy cigarettes, and the occasional cigar, but I will not let them over run the city.

"And, as I mentioned earlier, I want to increase the police force in order to protect this city and its inhabitants. I will encourage rehabilitation for all first time offenders, with the exception of felony charges, and I will find ways to make our current prison system more affordable, less crowded, and to create btter conditions. If you have ever visited Riker's Island, or Sing-Sing, you would be appalled. The men and women serving there may have broken the law, but they are still human beings and ought to be treated as such,"

Hector came to stand in front of the woman, and he regarded her cooly. "Those were quite wonderful questions Miss...?"

[LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH]

Lady Catherine didn't care much for politics, as a rule. And yet, walking past City Hall that day on her way somewhere of more importance to her (i.e the shops) she stopped to join the crowd around the hall's steps, admittedly curious.

A man was addressing the people, in a tone most unlike that of the current mayor. This man spoke in a warm and, dare she say it, friendly tone. It made a nice change. She found herself inclined to wait around and see what more he had to say.

It was when this man, Hector Tormei, opened the floor for questions, however, that Lady Catherine was most surprised. For there was Medea Kekelidze, the woman whom Her Ladyship had met at the gallery opening, asking the questions evryone else didn't seem inclined to. Her Ladyship chuckled.

"Those were quite wonderful questions Miss...?"

Despite the fact that Lady Catherine considered Medea a friend, anumber of questions had just occured to her which she felt needed to be said as a matter of urgency. This in mind she cut across Tormei to ask them.

"Speaking of Mayor Plantagenet's policies," Her Ladyship said, her voice carrying naturaly over the noise with her usual authorative tone. "You aren't going to bring those taxes he enforced back, are you? And another thing. You say you aren't a politician. How do you know you're well suited to the task of running a city? Mayor Plantagenet has worked in politics almost his whole life."

All this and Her Ladyship had still to recognize him as Hector Tormei, book store owner, whom she'd ordered a series of books from many months ago.

ooc: Hope that works for you, Kay and Jaime. Lady C has a habit of interrupting where she's not wanted. XD

[MAYOR HECTOR "HADES" TORMEI]

Hector was pleasantly surprised to be interrupted by a familiar face. "Lady de Bourgh, it's a pleasure to see you again. I trust that the books were to your liking," Hector moved forward to take Lady de Bourgh's hand. He bowed his head over her hand, a sign of respect, before straightening with a smile.

"I believe that taxes are neccessary evils, but not to the degree that Mayor Plantagenet has imposed them. I wish to tax luxury goods such as cigarettes, cigars, and certain alcoholic beverages, but I will not tax excessively. It is not the people's responsibility to make up for the government's spending. That is why I want to cut the wages of administration, they earn far too much.

"And concerning your second question, I may not be a politician, but I am not inexperienced at running things. As I have said, I have run my own business for decades now, and I am a leader in the community," If only they really knew... "And I don't know that I will be able to represent the city properly at first. It will be a trial by fire, and I would be learning as the term progressed, but I am a quick study. And I will make this promise: If I do not suit the office, I will resign voluntarily. I refuse to put this city through the pain of being lead by a politician who does not know when he is failing at his job. I swear, on my honor as a man and a business owner, that I will not let that happen if I were to be elected."

[MEDEA KEKELIDZE]

As Tormei responded to her next set of questions, Medea considered and analyzed his answers. Her knowledge of American law was confined to what she had learned in school and what she had observed since landing in New York City that past August. That gave her a fairly solid background; and besides, politicians were the same everywhere. Some, like a few African rulers and the dictators of the past, were a bit more straightforward about their intentions and means than their "Western" peers, but the fact remained that any official who had to be elected to office would spend his term attempting to get re-elected or promoted to a higher title.

Tormei seemed to be correct about due process sounded correct to Medea, though, and his ideas regarding smoking did as well. The crowd around Medea had begun to murmur, as if discussing these points among themselves. At least Medea had gotten them talking, if not asking questions of their own.

She noticed that Tormei was walking toward the crowd- or, more specifically, toward her. She balked for a moment, and very obviously, when he inquired about her name. Had he been following the newspapers over the summer and fall, he would instantly recognize her name as belonging to that Greek exile who had sought asylum among her friends in New York. However, she did not want to lie and could not think of a good one fast enough in any case. At least he had complimented her questions- whatever that could mean. She was about to respond when a familiar voice interrupted her.

Normally, Medea would not have cared too much about being cut off, unless she had been giving a lecture or a talk to a board of directors. This time, however, was a godsend. Not only had the person had perfect timing, she recognized the voice quite easily. It was her acquaintance from a gallery opening some time ago, Lady Catherine. Her Ladyship asked the candidate about taxes and his ability as a politician.

Medea's posture relaxed a bit. Here, finally, was someone who actually had a say in the city government who could ask well thought-out questions; and she was genuinely glad to see Lady Catherine again. Again she listened to the man's responses, and agreed with them for the most part. She did have one concern about his answers, though, one that only occurred to her after hearing his thoughts on the citizens' choice of taxes. Before she asked her question, she turned to Her Ladyship.

"Lady de Bourgh," Medea said pleasantly, extending her hand (and unfortunately leaning in front of a couple of people) toward the woman. Once she had greeted her acquaintance, she turned back to Tormei, sweeping away a lock of curls that had fallen into her face as she shook Her Ladyship's hand.

"Mr. Tormei, your promise to step down is a brave oath you've taken, and I hope you are prepared to be held to it," Medea said, her tone still fairly pleasant, rather than defensive or accusatory. "I'm sure we've all heard such promises given by politicians, and found them empty upon review."

She continued, "You place a good deal of value on the people's opinions. And that's good- it's a welcome change- but do you think the people are capable of always making their own decisions? and if not, where do you draw the line- on what issues would you use your own judgment rather than the people's?"

[LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH]

"Lady de Bourgh, it's a pleasure to see you again. I trust that the books were to your liking,"

These words, and Hector's respectful gesture, took Lady Catherine aback. What was he doing, running for mayor, if he ran a book shop? And why had she not recognized him earlier?

She nodded, still somewhat surprised, but managed to refocus her attention enough to hear Hector's replies to her questions. She wasn't too pleased at the idea there would be taxes on luxury goods but chose not to voice that particular opinion.

"Lady de Bourgh,"

As Medea extended her hand Her Ladyship shook it, all politeness, and informed her it was a pleasure to see her again so soon. However, for once, she realized that what was occuring at present was not about her, and left it at that, returning her attention instead to Tormei.

Medea's questions, Lady Catherine noted, were well thought out and made perfect sense. Her gaze flicked from her acquaintance to Tormei and back again, to see how he would respond.

[MAYOR HECTOR "HADES" TORMEI]

"Mr. Tormei, your promise to step down is a brave oath you've taken, and I hope you are prepared to be held to it," Medea said, her tone still fairly pleasant, rather than defensive or accusatory. "I'm sure we've all heard such promises given by politicians, and found them empty upon review."

She continued, "You place a good deal of value on the people's opinions. And that's good- it's a welcome change- but do you think the people are capable of always making their own decisions? and if not, where do you draw the line- on what issues would you use your own judgment rather than the people's?"

"That is a good question, one that I am sure many have on their minds. I think that it is important to represent the people as accurately as possible, but not to the point that mob mentality has a chance to take over. There are certain issues that I will take control over, such as weapon regulation. Following the terrifying mass murder in Tuscon, Arizona, many states and cities are experiencing an outcry, a demand for concealed weapons to be legalized. I do not agree with that. Concealed weapons are serious threats to the safety and structure of our government, and would not be allowed.

"I keep my promises, ma'am. I am a man of honor, a God fearing man. I will be the first to admit that I have made mistakes in the past, but I will not disappoint the people. I give you my word that I will step down if I am ineffective."

((Heads up, Hector's only gonna reply in dialogue from here on out))

[MEDEA KEKELIDZE]

After greeting Lady Catherine, Medea returned her attention to Tormei, who responded to her questions eloquently. The term "mob mentality" particularly appealed to her. That mentality was what hindered her work as a toxicologist the most; it was what had gotten her run out of two countries and what had, in effect, ended her marriage. Anyone who would fight against that would score pints in her estimation.

She nodded as he talked about concealed weapons and the tragedy in Tucson. She had no real stance on the issue of weapons, which was odd for someone in her position. If not downright ironic.

Since those were just about all the questions she wanted to ask- she could think of more if she wished, all she had to do was try to recall some of her friends' debates on politics- she decided to turn over the task to Lady Catherine. "Were there any other questions on your mind, Your Ladyship?" she asked.

[LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH]

Lady Catherine listened to what Hector had to say in reply to Medea's further questions and she smiled. Despite her initial misgivings it seemed this man knew what he was talking about.

"Were there any other questions on your mind, Your Ladyship?"

Her Ladyship was surprised when Medea directed the question back to her, but luckily she had a question ready to ask.

"Indeed I do, Miss Kekelidze," she said with a smile before turning to face the candidate. "Mr. Tormei, you mentioned earlier that you plan on bringing nature back into the city...how do you propose to go about this?"

Nature was a much nicer subject than weapons, in Her Ladyship's esteemed opinion.

[MAYOR HECTOR "HADES" TORMEI]

"Mr. Tormei, you mentioned earlier that you plan on bringing nature back into the city...how do you propose to go about this?"

"Community gardens, Lady de Bourgh. They would be put into neighborhoods with high crime rates or low high school graduation numbers. Numerous studies have proven that community gardens lead to the improvement of such troubled areas. Convists, parolees, and those on probation can work in the gardens for community service hours, or even labor. Children can learn about nature, ecology, geography in a vegetable patch while growing fresh produce for their family. People suffering from illness, both physical and mental can grow hydrangeas as therapy. Gardening has multiple uses that can be used to better our city, in more ways than one.

"I'm not promising another Central Park, but I am promising greenery for this city. We are landlocked, some of our children have never seen fruits and vegetables being grown. Where we can't put in a garden on the groung level, there are rooftop greenhouses that can be put into place, paid for through fundraisers and personal donations. There are old buildings, parking lots, that haven't been used in years that will eventually be bought up by some entreprenuer and turned into a movie theater or a strip mall. If the city can get the funds, we could but those lots, clear them, and put in parks. We can put in gardens. We can give our children and neighbors a place to go to be near nature."

[MEDEA KEKELIDZE]

Medea liked the sound of the gardens. Lady de Bourgh had posed an excellent question. She would have loved for her children to grow up in a place where they could enjoy watching things grow, things they had planted and cared for that would be used to feed them. Such had been the future of her children in Greece; then, her horrid ex-husband had seen fit to ruin it for them all.

She frowned a bit at the mention of convicts, but otherwise she outwardly agreed with the plan. This Mr. Tormei had her vote, so far. He seemed pleasant, and more honest than most men seeking elections. She knew well, though, that this was only because he was new to the political arena and hadn't had the time to become jaded and bitter yet. It happened to every politician eventually; it was the fate of any man whose career was in the hands of the masses.

"That sounds like a wonderful plan, Mr. Tormei," she said, with a small smile. She also nodded toward Lady Catherine. "It's refreshing to hear real, thought-out ideas for the city. I hope you'll do well in your election."

[LADY CATHERINE DE BOURGH]

Lady Catherine nodded and smiled as Tormei explained his plans for the gardens. They sounded splendid, in her esteemed opinion. Although she had been on good terms with the late Edward Plantagenet, she was one of those who'd harboured a certain disquiet about his younger brother who was currently in the position of utmost authority.

She nodded as Medea spoke and continued after her.

"I agree with Miss Kekelidze, sir. You certainly seem like a man I can trust and I wish you every success."