Of Kings and Demons by George Han

the University of New
Hampshire. Economics was in his blood, and he aspired to fill his father’s
shoes as an authority on the same subject. When Johnson senior took up the
deanship at Brown University, Walter was asked to undertake his postgraduate studies
at the same university.
    However, as he courted his future
wife, who hailed from San Marino, California, he chose the sunshine state over
the Providence. He spent the next decade in California, raised a family,
climbed the hierarchy at the local university, and was eventually appointed
head of the economic advisory team of the Republican governor.
    When he was thirty-five, Walter
was asked by his father to run for the congressional division, Fourth District.
The incumbent, Paul Fermont, had decided to retire at the age of seventy-four
and Johnson senior had been the chairman of the Fermont’s fundraising
committee.
    After a tough campaign, Walter
won with 51.3 percent of the votes and stayed on for five terms, each
successive win achieved with growing majorities.
    Then Walter took a gamble and decided
not to seek a sixth term. He took a respite and headed back to teaching at the
University. The boys were growing up, and he wanted time to take stock of his
life. However he was thrown onto the crossroads again when the party asked him
to join the gubernatorial race for the state.
    He was fifty, healthy and eager
beaver. It was a gamble because the state had had a strong democratic incumbent
for four years. Walter could have chosen to do something easier, and more
rewarding, without braving the hustling.
    However, audacity outweighed caution,
and Walter decided to throw the hat in the ring. It was his calling. It was
vintage Walter Johnson—always reaching for the impossible. As the voting
commenced, exits polls predicted that Walter Johnson would lose by six percentage
points. The incumbent governor, Sheila Canning, had a strong track record in
health and social pension reform and was a favourite amongst woman rights
groups and the minorities. It looked impossible to unseat her.
    But the dogged Walter Johnson
created a political miracle and won by a four-point margin on the promises of jobs
security and economic growth. His personal charisma, down-to-earth persona and
moderate intellectualism won him support from both parties. His tough stand on
abortion and crime-fighting secured the undecideds.
    Walter was reelected with clear
majority despite his tough reforms in state government. He increased healthcare
spending, cut wasteful welfare payments, and got half of the state employees on
healthcare insurance. Walter Johnson became synonymous with optimism,
possibility and real change for the better.
    After eight years of leading
the state, he came to crossroads again. He was hungry and lost—hungry because
he needed fresh inspiration and lost because he felt he could no longer do
better in the coming year than he had in the previous eight years.
    Back at home, he had a good
dinner and, after coffee with his wife, Walter Johnson rose to retire to his
study. Before he entered the room, his aide, Ken Parker, informed him that,
Robin Ballard, had arrived.
    Walter cringed. Robin has been his
confidant and political comrade for his entire public life. The man has
engineered all his electoral successes and quite a help with fund-raising.
    When Walter entered the study,
the man was on the couch by the fireplace. “Robin.”
    “Walter,” Robin remained seated
so Walter took the opposite seat. He found Robin tired, face wrinkled and eye
puffed. Robin was eight years younger but looked older, and Walter knew why. He
had shouldered his worries, and everybody else’s, when they were on the
campaign trail.
     “You want something to eat?”
Walter asked.
    “Guv’nor—” Robin said, but
before he could continue, Walter snapped. He knew the implication behind the
word guv’nor . Robin was leaning on him to make a big decision.
    “You can just call me Walter. No
need for