THE PRES.

John Mabry | 9th grade

The voice crackled over the telephone: "President Rennman?"

"Yes, what can I do for you?"

"UhSir, does your offer that you made in your election speech,
that you would keep an open line-n-mind so that citizens could call you with their problems, does this still hold true?"

"Sure does, neighbor. Pour your heart out!"

"Sir, does the room that you are in now have a grandfather clock
in it?"

"Pardon?"

"You know, the kind with a swinging pendulum?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure, hold on a minute, I'm getting another call."

The newly elected President's dark face drew up into a scowl of
Superstition. America's first black president had run into quite a bit of trouble with the legendary Klu Klux Klan. They swore that he would disappear within a month in office. He pushed the Secret Service line: "Hopkins, trace the call on line two," The President stopped, and pushed the button for line two remembering the request for a Grandfather clocks. "Sorry to keep you waiting neighbors I'll move into a room with one. This White House
is full of them!" (shortly) "Here is one, right here before me. Now what's your problem my friend?" Rennman said mockingly, suspicion filled his mind.

"Notice the pendulum, look into it's center"

"I really wish you'd get to the point."

"Look at it, President Rennman, the light reflecting off of it, big party last night, eh? Stayed up awful late, didn't you? You're very sleepy, Mr. Rennman, veerrryy sleepy, your eyes are very, very heavy, you are... asleep! Now, Mr. Rennman, remember the speech you gave on mind over matter? Yes, you remember. The mind can make anything happen if it really believes that it will happen. No, it's not complicated. It's simple, you must believe what I tell you. Now, you are not Rufus Rennman, you did not even exist, you are not real, you were never born. You never graduated from Iowa Tech. You never married Matilda Jackson. You never existed--you never were, and you are NOT!!!"

There was a click of a receiver being put downs and a dial town-, The phone hung, dangling from it's twisted cord. A knock came from the door. Hopkins' muffled voice sounded from it: "Sir, the call came from a small town in Georgia. Sir, SIR!" The door burst open. Hopkins' stocky form stopped short: He was facing an empty room.