Free Someday the Rabbi Will Leave by Harry Kemelman Page B

unduly pessimistic about his chances, she thought.
    Originally, when she had offered to help, he had said, “I sure can use all the help I can get, but I couldn’t pay you very much, maybe nothing until after the election—if I won.”
    â€œOh, that’s all right. I don’t need the money and I’ve got all the time in the world.”
    â€œThat’s very decent of you, but—”
    â€œLook, who’s your campaign manager? Who’s running things for you? Where are your headquarters?”
    â€œWell, I’ve been working out of my office in Salem. I haven’t done much yet. You see, there’s this old guy who has an office across the hall, J. J. Mulcahey. He’s the one who sort of put a bee in my bonnet, and he’s been giving me some advice, but—”
    â€œYou can’t have your headquarters in Salem. It’s not in the district. You’ve got to get some place in Barnard’s Crossing, a vacant store.”
    â€œBut that would cost quite a bit of money. Besides, I just don’t have the time to go looking. And I’d need office furniture, at least a desk and a file cabinet. Maybe I could get them second-hand, but—”
    â€œYou can rent them. And as for a store, it shouldn’t cost much for the few months till election.”
    â€œOh no? When I first thought of running I called a couple of real estate people who had vacant stores. One wanted a thousand dollars a month, payable in advance.”
    â€œSuppose I do a little looking around.”
    â€œWell …”
    Within a few days she called him at his office. “Laura Magnuson,” she announced briskly. “You know that vacant store on High Street? Just beyond the market? I can get it for a hundred dollars a month, from now through November.”
    â€œGee! A hundred dollars a month! How did you manage that?”
    â€œBy pointing out that you had a good chance of being elected senator, and that it would do them a lot of good to have a senator for a friend. You see, I did a little checking and I found they had had some trouble with the zoning authority.”
    â€œGee, that’s wonderful. Is there a lease I have to sign? Do I send them a check for the first month’s rent?”
    â€œI could give them my check and you can repay me. You see, I had to say I was your campaign manager in order to get them to talk seriously with me. I mean, if they thought I had no authority and was just some busybody looking around …”
    â€œSure, I understand. You go right ahead.”
    â€œAnd if you like, I’ll see about renting some furniture.”
    â€œOh sure, absolutely. We got to have some furniture.”
    So she signed the lease, rented furniture, then went on to arrange for printing and stationery. In some wonderment, he told Mulcahey about it.
    The older man pursed his lips and then nodded slowly. “That’s one of the nice things about politics, I guess. All kinds of people are eager to jump on the bandwagon, even when there is no band and not even a wagon. What’s she look like?”
    â€œShe’s real nice-looking in a strictly business kind of way. Dressed properly and made up for a party, she might be a knockout, but as it is she’s a good-looking girl.”
    â€œYou ever make a pass at her?”
    â€œGosh, no. Didn’t I tell you who she is? Her father is Howard Magnuson. You know, of Magnuson and Beck.”
    â€œSo what?” Mulcahey laughed coarsely. “She still pees sitting down, don’t she? Know what? You’re a new toy for her, a rich girl’s plaything,” he said contemptuously, a little annoyed that she was replacing him as mentor, guide, director of Scofield’s career. “When she gets tired of playing politics after a couple of weeks she’ll just walk out on you.”
    â€œGee, I don’t think so. She seems a lot more involved in this than I am.” He