Dwayne is standing at the back of the room. His sport coat is too narrow in the shoulders, and his tie is askew.

Standing next to him is Marlene Preen, President of the McLennan County Republican Club.  She wrings her hands and scans the crowd for signs of trouble.

“I’m worried he’s going to be a problem,” Preen whispers, pointing to a bald man seated at a table in the middle of the room.

Dwayne wipes the sweat from his forehead with his coat sleeve, and stares intently at the back of the man’s head.

“Should we ask him to leave?” Dwayne asks.

Preen frowns.  “No! We just need to be ready, in case he….in case he does something weird.”

Dwayne twists his neck, and shrugs his shoulders. He takes another pass at the sweat on his forehead, expanding the large, dark patch of moisture on the sleeve of his jacket.

Dwayne is volunteering for Speaker Garza’s campaign in exchange for college credit. This is his first day on the job. A few hours earlier, the campaign manager asked him if he would drive the Speaker to Waco.  The 20-year-old had never met the Speaker before today, and he was given no instructions.

At the front of the room, Speaker Garza stands with his feet wide apart.  In response to questions from the audience, he speaks boldly, and he uses his hands to highlight the finer points of his positions.

State Rep. Ignacio Cahn is seated next to the podium that the Speaker declined to use. Cahn nods confidently as the Speaker continues speaking.

“I’ve heard that before. And the economic impacts of automated trucking are just the tip of that spear.  In fact, the biggest fear among many in the business community is that these west coast nutjobs will build a network of AI-driven machines that malfunction and lose their ability to distinguish human communication from other data streams.  That could have terrifying implications, as you alluded to.”

While he speaks, the Speaker watches his audience.  A man takes a last bite of his cake and pushes away the plate.  A woman frowns disapprovingly.  The Speaker pivots.

“But enough about the threats in our evolving world. Let’s talk about the forward-looking leadership of Texas House Republican leaders like my good friend and your state representative, Ignacio Cahn.  Thanks to Representative Cahn’s strong leadership as your state representative, we are driving the conservative progress that Texans cannot afford to live without.  I know that you agree with me when I say I hope my young friend, Representative Cahn, continues serving the good people of Waco for decades to come.”

The crowd applauds lightly, and a dozen hands rise.

Preen grabs Dwayne’s arm. “I think I might say, ‘last question.’ Do you think the Speaker would approve?”

Dwayne does not respond. He stands there, wide-eyed and paralyzed by fear. Preen pushes his arm away and whines.

“Let’s have one more question,” Speaker Garza announces.

When the Speaker points to the bald man at the table in middle, Dwayne balls up his fists and closes his eyes.

“That’s him!” Preen whispers in a panic.

The bald man stands, and gently sets his napkin on his chair.

“I built a business, and I raised my family,” he says slowly. “Now I’m trying to protect what I’ve built. But people keep coming from all around, trying to take it from me.  They’re trying to take all of this that we’ve built; they want to make it their own.  The worst part about it? When I tell it like I see it, I’m disrespected and treated as if my views are shameful. I’m frightened, Mr. Garza.  My wife and I are afraid of what’s happening to this country.”

There are murmurs of agreement throughout the room.

The Speaker nods slowly, and clasps his hands before him, as if he might pray.

“That sounds like a troubling test to be sure, my friend; I’m sorry for your trouble. I think we all face that frustration from time to time–when our core values are challenged, and no one seems to recognize that we’re the ones on the side of right.”

The Speaker stands silently and watches the crowd.  Finally, he unclasps his hands and nods once, with finality.

He continues addressing the entire room while he walks to the front table and begins shaking hands. “Thank you for having me, and be sure to vote next Tuesday.”

He speaks loudly, as the audience has already begun to stand and stretch.  “Please get your family, friends, and neighbors out to the polls, too.  Your community and the entire State of Texas will continue to benefit when you vote for strong local, Republican leaders like Representative Cahn.”

There’s polite applause, but it is quickly replaced by conversations. While the Speaker is still shaking hands, many in the crowd abandon their chairs and move toward the exits.

“I’m going to keep that bizarre man occupied while the Speaker gets out of here.” Preen disappears into the milling crowd.

Dwayne watches her walk away.  His fists unclench.

“I’ll get the car?” he asks, as though someone will hear him and guide him.

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