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…As a tumbleweed is blowing in the wind…
Standing in the doorway of a midwest cafe, hesitating, Archie called over to where Doctor Raj was drinking coffee. “May I sit?
Raj said, “Yes. What a nice coincidence.”
“Red Water’s a small town. I knew you’d be here, buckaroo.”
“After seeing patients all day, I need to unwind.”
“And they see you; I guess they can’t be too wound up with racism.”
Raj choked on his coffee. “You think? The same people who elected the idiot?”
“Sure, back in Centerville we have a new East Indian restaurant. People like it.”
Raj rolled his eyes and sighed, “Some of my best friends eat Indian food.”
“I know, right? Uh… I’m sorry that idiot got re-elected.”
“I’m still sorry he got elected that first time.”
Ya… About that… That time, just because nobody wanted that woman as president, it doesn’t mean we-all should have elected him. Raj, I’m sorry we argued.
“Me too.”
“And this time, even if folks didn’t want that Harris woman as president, that’s still no excuse.”
Raj’s wrinkled his forehead and asked. “What, now you don’t like his policies?”
“No I don’t! There’s no new jobs, and I think my cousin will lose his farm.”
“That’s rough. Last time he got in, there were suddenly more Proud Boys, and more anti-semitism.”
“Who knows about Jews? They’re all back in California. I want jobs here.
“Archie, after you—and your neighbours—voted him in, I’m not surprised to hear that more Blacks are being hassled by police.”
“My neighbours, they didn’t know anything about any eastern Blacks. Like me, they only wanted to keep Hilary out. That’s all I wanted. You understand that, right?
“It’s hard to understand that Hilary mattered more than Trump.”
“She mattered to me! …I never cared about big city Black gangs. Right now, the only gang members I want hassled are those ones from Venezuela… I’m not against Blacks. You know that, right?”
Raj stared into the bottom of his cup. Then he swiftly stood up pushing his chair back all in one motion. “Got to go.” And he went.
… …
… …
Sean Crawford
on the Canadian plains
May
2025
