Faye wants your support

You’re just filling up the dishwasher after dinner when the doorbell rings. It’s Faye. She’s looking rather fetching in a crumpled grey blouse, ill-fitting but in a way that emphasises her sizable assets, and a black pair of suit trousers. She’s carrying a laptop with her.

“Hi neighbour,” you greet her.

“Hi, I was wondering whether I could ask for your help.”

“What do you need?”

“I don’t know if you remember, but I told you I was considering running for the town council? Well, the other night, I was looking through the requirements, and on top of the usual deposit and signatures, there’s one other ordinance. Strange one. Never seen it before. But, apparently, I need to be a town member or to have a sponsor who’s a town member.”

“What’s a town member?”

“Looking into the fine print, because they’ve hidden this, a town member is someone who either belongs to a family that has lived in the town for at least four generations or someone who was born and raised in the town.”

“Is that legal?”

“I would assume it wouldn’t stand up in a court of law but prosecuting this would take money and time we don’t have. The deadline for submitting an intention to stand is the end of next week. Don’t think I need the deposit or the signatures, just need to register my intention. But I need a town member. You were born and raised here, weren’t you?”

“Yes. Yes, I was.”

She raises an inquisitive eyebrow. Her green eyes are begging you, and how can you say no to that.

“Why don’t you come in and have a cup of tea?” you suggest.

Her smile tells you, she knows what that means.