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I also soon learn during dinner that he’s the mayor of Spruce As in: Mayor Raymond Porter

A little heads-up froht have been nice

Also, the restaurant we’re in is actually in the outskirts of a neighboring town called Fairview, and is owned by Nadine Strong, which Mayor Raymond is quick to point out “I find it a bit funny,” he says, s his lips as he cracks into his lobster, “that we’re enjoying a niceof running against me” He chortles privately at that

I’ve barely touched my plate And I don’t like the way he says the word “woe so theuy

And I’ out with Toby I’d take one of their Tackler Burgers over this fancy and uncomfortable lobster dinner with the mayor any day

“You’ve run unopposed for … how ht

“Oh, it doesn’t matter how many years I run I’ll run as many as I like Spruce has no terettin’ her pantaloons in a knot? Probably not seemly of me, to talk ‘bout her in her own restaurant like this She and I go way back, too No bad blood there, but that woht over her head, and shoot, if she don’t have half the town talkin’ ‘bout her, she es with enthusiasm Raymond rips a dinner roll in half and slathers it with butter “Gets me to thinkin’, as it ere talkin’ ‘bout the other night, Joe?” He guffahen it comes to him “Ah yes, taxes About that …”

I’ve checkedat the table and haven’t said a word I don’t knohy I’e , or call ive et out of here It wouldn’t matter; I’m stuck here, a not-a-walkable-distance outside of Spruce, at the whim of this stupid dinner

MyRaymond and his wife, I’ve noticed The pair of us sit next to each other, silent and eating As the tirows loud with my father and the mayor’s chatter It’s obvious my dad just wanted to present some kind of united family front to impress the ethe house

“Of course, yes!”I’vehisat Mohted to assist in whatever way she can, should it really come to that She’s had years and years of experience infor various brands, even had a stint up in New York ell, you go ahead and tell hi”

Like the switch on a robot being flicked on, my mother comes out of a well of darkness and puts on a sh I do think he inflates uffaw fro smile from the icy wife She launches into her usual spiel about all the things she’s acco Spruce, who she’s worked for, which celebrities she’s come into contact with—and so on and so on I could recite half of her spiel for her “It’s inspiring tooutback here, I feel such a lovely rush of—”

“What a ridiculous circus,” Ray her off—er in years, and here the Strongs go, et?” He flags down a server “More butter!”

Not a please nor a thanks I doubt either word has come out of that man’s lips in years How can Spruce be such a pleasant place with such an entitled, lazy urative throne?

I study ue She clearly didn’t appreciate being cut off, but has e the mayor She si the rest of her dinner I feel a sudden urge to rub her back or reassure her in soesture in front of everyone—and also I re me the silent treatment