299 Days: The Collapse

Chapter 61 Weenie Uprising (May 6)

Nancy Ringman had been sent home that morning like all other state employees at the capitol. She couldn’t believe how the state and Feds were letting these right-wing hateful Tea Partiers push everyone around. She knew that the right was responsible for all the terrorism. The corporate media was saying it was the “Red Brigade,” but Nancy knew it was those gun-toting right-wingers. They were masquerading as “welfare protestors” and destroying the city. She hated them.

The rumor mill at her office had already described the new “Freedom Corps.” That sounded like a good idea. It would give people like her, leaders and people traditionally excluded from the “good ole’ boy” system, a chance to help the state restore order. She couldn’t wait to join. She would lead the Freedom Corps in her neighborhood, of course.

That reminded her. The “good ole’ boys” were running wild in her own neighborhood. Ron and Len were turning the Cedars into an armed camp. And Grant Matson had murdered those kids, which was completely unnecessary. Gunfire in a residential area! What were those men thinking?

Nancy hated having to see men with guns every time she drove in and out of the subdivision. Macho. That’s all it was. Some men trying to be macho. She felt the neighborhood gravitating toward them and their guns. She could feel she was losing power.

There was a meeting of the neighborhood association planned for that evening. She would make a stand against the testosterone. If she didn’t do it now, everyone would think guns were the answer to all of this.

When Nancy arrived, she called the meeting to order. “Everyone is so thankful for Ron and Len and the other volunteers, but I have a concern,” she said. “It seems the more guns we have out, the more they get used. Grant, who has apparently abandoned his family, killed three kids and wounded four more. It was horrible. And it wouldn’t have happened without a macho hothead like that deciding to spray the neighborhood with automatic weapons. We need a better way to stay safe because, quite honestly, I don’t feel safe with all of these guns around.”

“I suggest that we have people out observing, but that we call the police if we need help,” she said. “The police are trained professionals.” That resonated with the audience. They had been told their whole lives that life was complicated and to leave things up to the experts.

It didn’t resonate with everyone, though.

Ron asked, “Have you seen a cop lately? One of these ‘trained professionals’ we are supposed to rely on?”

Someone said, “One came out to interview Lisa Taylor.”

“OK, has anyone seen any cops out preventing crimes instead of writing reports about killings that have already happened?” Ron asked. He was not using an angry voice; he was speaking very calmly.

Nancy knew who her enemy was.

“Ron, what about the shooting the other night in Becker Acres?” she asked in a condescending voice, which was the only tone she seemed to have, other than mock sweetness. “There were bullets flying toward us. Is that safe?”

“It’s safer than a pack of thugs with rifles and clubs trying to kill you,” Ron said. “I know a little something about that. Remember? I was fighting them off while you slept.” Ron was pissed that he was even having to make this obvious point.

After a couple of days of sleep deprivation and being attacked by a gang of armed thugs, his usual accountant calm and politeness was gone. Everyone was getting frayed. Emotions were raw.

“I just don’t feel safe with all these guns around,” Nancy repeated, making it obvious that her argument was simply that she didn’t feel safe around guns. That was it. No plan for security, just her feelings.

Ron blew up. “I don’t give a damn about your phobias! I care about preventing vicious criminals from attacking my family and even yours. What the hell is the matter with you?” A few people clapped. Nancy knew that she was losing a political fight.

Her emotions were raw, too. After several days of watching those government-hating knuckle dragging Tea Party people shut everything down, she’d had enough. She was going to do something about it.

“Ron, we don’t need your macho testosterone,” she said with her teeth clenched. “We need a civilized way to help the police do their job. I propose that we discontinue the armed camp approach and form a local chapter of the Freedom Corps.”

No one said anything.

Nancy realized that they hadn’t yet heard of the Freedom Corps, since they weren’t government insiders like her. She felt so powerful.

“Freedom Corps,” she explained, “will be announced soon to the general public.” She loved the hint that only important people like her knew about this. “It’s a civilian law enforcement auxiliary. We will work with law enforcement to help them while they have other things to look after. You will hear about it on the news soon. Judy, you’re in law enforcement, what do you think about this?”

Nancy called on Judy Kilmer, an administrative law judge living on Grant’s cul-de-sac. Nancy had rehearsed this with Judy beforehand. Judy was a supporter.

Judy decided little administrative cases like unemployment benefit appeals, environmental permit fines, and paperwork violations for people subject to state licensing. “Law enforcement” was an absurd stretch. But, Nancy knew most people in the neighborhood worked for and, to varying degrees, revered government, so a “judge” would have lots of credibility.

“Well,” Judy said, “I know that it’s very important to have an orderly system for protection. Just shooting people and running away isn’t that. You need to have systems in place to help law enforcement do its job. It’s more about collecting and preserving evidence than just killing.”

Ron couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He yelled, “Collecting and preserving evidence after what?” He threw his hands up in the air. “After a pack of shitbags has killed or raped my family? A lot of good evidence will do then. What’s wrong with you?” Ron stormed out of the room.

Nancy gave Ron a “tsk, tsk” facial expression and rolled her eyes. “See, this is that kind of testosterone outburst that, coupled with guns, leads to violence,” she scolded.

The crowd of neighborhood people, almost all of whom were government workers who respected Nancy and Judy’s high positions, appeared to be thinking about this. It was likely that they understood the logic and even the emotion of Ron’s side, but wanted Nancy’s approach to work. “Normal” meant no longer seeing armed men at the entrance to the neighborhood. Everyone wanted normal back. The group was silent for a minute or so. Nancy could sense that she was winning.

“Let’s meet back here tomorrow night at the same time,” Nancy said, which was also part of her rehearsed plan. “That will give everyone a chance to think this over.”

And it would give Nancy time to visit each neighbor and lobby them. She wanted to see Lisa Taylor, in particular. She hated the Matsons, especially Grant who got her fired from the State Auditor’s Office. If Grant was a big baby and had run from the police, Nancy at least wanted to get in Lisa’s face and tell her what a horrible person her husband was.