The Christmas Pundit (Laurel Holidays #2) - V.L. Locey Page 0,10
Christmas Carnival has become the highlight of the year! Local artisans fill the booths in the basement of the Presbyterian Church selling beautiful crafts handmade right here in Pennsylvania.” I said that loudly enough that the moms all grinned and bobbed their heads in agreement.
“Ah yes, well, it’s all quite quaint, and I do see how this could add to the town coffers, but don’t you think it would be better not to borrow money that we’d then have to repay and try to raise funds to cover the costs of expanding the carnival? Also, perhaps we should have a hard think about what’s more important to the good people of Cedarburg. A fancy holiday carnival that will only provide a quick cash rush that they’ll have to repay in higher taxes, or a push to lure new businesses into the area.”
He also spoke loudly enough to be heard by the moms. They now seemed confused. The bastard. Pushing him to the grass and shoving fallen leaves into his mouth as he’d done to me when we were six called out to me like a siren’s song.
“I’m working on trying to bring new jobs to the area. That’s a long-term plan that I’ve just started implementing. The Christmas Carnival is something that we can do now, this year, that will show immediate results and bring some fame to our wonderful local artisans as well as plumping up the city’s funds. Also, the more tourists we can bring in the more our town grows. Most of the hunters are long gone come December as you well know. After Thanksgiving and the end of rifle deer hunting season, our little town suffers greatly until spring rolls around. This event, if we can bolster it, will pull people up from the southern cities as well as down from Corning and Elmira.”
“But why borrow the money?” He leaned forward, his arms coming to rest on the table.
“I’m not seeking loans. I’m applying for grants from the arts community.”
“Grants. I see.” He ran a finger along the spine of his book. “And exactly how is that going?”
“We’ve gotten some favorable feedback.” A blackbird landed on the grass behind Gideon, then another, and then another. They were flocking now, getting ready to leave for warmer climes.
“Which is mayor-speak for no one has replied saying they had the money for the cause.” He turned to wink at the women. They all giggled and shushed the kids. “Tell me, ladies, how do you feel about the Christmas Carnival? Should we be seeking to expand it or let it be a tiny little local tradition and invest our time and effort into business expansion?”
I groaned inwardly. What the holy hell? What had I ever done to warrant Gideon Pierce showing up here today? All I’d wanted to do was eat my tuna fish sandwich in peace while I read his stupid book. Well, the book wasn’t stupid, he made good points. Points that I didn’t agree with, but sound points just the same.
“Oh! Well, I know my son would love a good job when he graduates in the spring,” Lynn Atwater said, bouncing her three-year-old son Cody on her knee. See, I knew her, her sons Cody and the older one Mark, as well as her husband Clyde, who worked at the tannery one county over. Gideon didn’t know her or her children’s names. What gave him the right to sail back into this town like some sort of person who…who…knows people?!
His gaze rolled nonchalantly from the women to me. A bird sang. The burble of the fountain filled the silence. I wrapped up what was left of my sandwich, washed it down with a sip of sweetened iced tea, and hit the crowd of four adults and five children with my most engaging mayoral persona. Gideon sat back. His arms now folded over the red swishy thing slicing through the NASA logo.
“I’d like to see Mark find a full-time job as well, Linda. And one that’s in this county. I know how treacherous these back roads are in the winter. Just last February Pike Mason nearly lost control out on Biggerstaff Road, putting an entire tanker full of milk and his own life in grave peril. Driving to Silverwood is, sadly, the only recourse many of our workers have due to years and years of mismanagement of our town’s finances. Which is why I’m working with the zoning board to put that large patch of unused land outside