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Talking with ‘Iggs

November 27, 2020   ·   0 Comments

By Constance Scarfield

Lots of changes around, some surprising, some inevitable with surprises to come. That latter speaks to the whimpering finale of the all-too-bombastic Trump fiasco. We kept hearing about how he boasted that he had boosted the American economy but it is certainly a rumour, rife with smoke and mirrors. Whatever he may have achieved in that department, he decimated it by allowing Covid-19 to bring down so many people and close down so many businesses. 

America, at the time of going to press, leads the world at more than 12 million cases with India trailing at nine million plus. 

India’s population is almost four times that of the United States. 

Earlier today, I was chatting on Face time with my pal in the U.K., John Higgs, whom, for all the decades I’ve known him, I have called him ‘Iggs, in honour of his East London upbringing. 

A deep sea diver as his life’s career, ‘Iggs is widely travelled within the trade, working largely for the oil business and the tales he tells of his under water experiences are all very interesting, sometimes a little frightening – often funny. 

He has a keen eye for social critique, as do many travellers and a nose for political observation, cynical enough to often pin point the truth. Not surprisingly, we fell into a discussion about the coming dissolution of Trump and his motley crew’ administration, imaging it a bit like this: 

So, now, there is a dark and very grumpy voice coming from the furthest corner of the Oval Office, “Alright! Alright! I hear you – it isn’t true but everybody says the bugger won the election- someday they’ll be sorry!!” 

With that concession as an almost sure thing, the markets rise and he rushes out to take the credit for it – a 15 second press conference -hitting an all time record for brevity, “I did it! The markets love me best!!” 

In a quiet room somewhere, can’t you just hear the sniveling and worrying ¬– “What the hell are we going to do with him and that crazy Giuliano, still ranting, making the rest of us look like absolute morons?” they whine to each other. 

“He was getting crazier and crazier,” another of them mourns. “We made hay while the sun shone – all those rallies – could you believe them? There was every reason to think he’d be good for another four years.” 

Picture them drinking – Bourbon, probably, maybe gin. 

“He was all over us, promising us anything – then, threatening everything. God, what a nightmare it’s been.” 

“Right, but we were all for it – none of us tried to stop him – all those damned tweets – three o’clock in the morning..” 

“Then – he was on the ‘phone with Fox and Friends – them twisting their fingers and trying not to look at each other-” 

“And what about the time they finally got rid of him? One of them says, ‘Well, Mr. President, we’re sure you have so much to do – we’ll let you go ‘– like, for God’s sake man, you’re the President – stop babbling on national TV..” 

There is a pause, a series of sighs as they passed the past amongst them. 

“We had to buy into it – he was doing stuff none of us could believe and we just kept backing him up.” This speaker put his hand to his forehead, “Then Kelly-Ann said ‘Alter-na-tive facts’ – just like that – like it could be – she never lived it down.” 

“Maybe, but others – even some of the press – have been trying to make it work – like it really could be something real – ever since.” 

“Ya know, we’ve made fortunes..” 

“Yeah and we have plenty to lose – plenty of people will remember we backed this guy right up ‘til recently – all this b.s. about the election – some of us fought really hard to make that fly..” 

“Like you said – we have plenty to lose – maybe some problems in court -” 

“Whoa!” 

“Do you think they’ll arrest him?” 

“I think he thinks so…” 

‘Iggs and I ruminated about that, daring to make bets but still … 

In the meantime, the President-to-come is assembling his cabinet and colleagues, mostly from the good old days when he was vice president, only four years ago. All his old buddies invited back: doesn’t the president elect have any other friends? Tried and true or, at least experienced with life in the White House and Congress they may be, but it looks as though there is no need for new ideas or approaches to problems, particularly in regards to the environment, economy, and very high on the country’s minds, Coronavirus. 

When the day comes, I have a picture in my mind of Trump being frog-marched out of the White House.

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