“Yes, but I like it—reminds me where I am.” Calabash passed Sam his carbons. “Local politics. We have an election coming up in November.”

Sam had covered the ward bosses in Chicago. He had hoped to get a more challenging beat than small-town party electioneering, and his disappointment was plain.

“Son, down here life is politics. And politics is life, period. The sooner you figure that out, the better off you’re going to be. You ain’t in Chicago now.”

“Quite a list.” Sam counted at least two dozen names. “Who’s going to get elected?”

Calabash laughed dryly and shook his head. “It’s a little more complex than that. Those are the rascals already in office.” He savored his drink. “Won’t be voting for a new mayor and aldermen for two more years yet.”

“So, what? State and county offices?”

“Right. And Congress.” Calabash leaned over the table close enough for Sam to get a blast of his breath. “Now, realize, son, that down here the state legislature controls the city charter.”

Light was beginning to dawn. “So whoever goes to Raleigh has their hands on the local throttle.”

“You’re awfully bright for a Yankee.”

Sam read the first page again. “Maybe I’m dense, but I don’t get it—there are four slates of aldermen here. Which are the ones in office right now?”

Calabash drained his beer and waved for another. “Well, now, that depends on which of the five mayors you consider the legal man—Fishblate, Harriss, McLGreen, Silas Wright, or Colonel Walker Taylor.”

“Another colonel? Is there anybody in town who isn’t a colonel?”

Harry Calabash sighed like a nanny with a troublesome child. “Well, there’s Silas Wright—he’s only a doctor.”

“Preacher kind?”

“Croaker kind.”

“Why all the fuss about who runs city hall?”

“Come now—don’t be so naive. Money. There’s more money flowing into this town than any other place between Baltimore and Savannah.”

“And it flows right through city hall.” Just like Chicago.

Harry nodded. “Now, as I was saying. We have a Democrat judge who says Mr. Harriss is mayor, since Solly Fishblate was the last legal mayor and Fishblate handed the job over to Harriss.”

“Why would he do that?”