Once a powerful public figure, an acerbic orator and a go- to politician for fixing internal squabbles or for slinging mud on opponents, he had done it all. Instead of blood, loyalty ran in his body. Blind faith, instead of acumen ran his career. But on the question of loyalty, he took it as a sky lark. Was loyal to whoever was powerful at that time.
His versatility flowed from his ability to switch loyalty from ‘A’ to ‘B’ and back to ‘A’ like a servo motor. For both the traits – loyalty and blind faith, he had chosen the navigation chart with clarity of mind which could cut sharp corners, where there was no such thing in the statute books. If needed, he did not hesitate to give new meanings and if not available, he wrote his own chapters and books.
A smooth sailing in others' troubled waters combined with the faith of the masses in deliverance on the expected promises will be fulfilled. He did not stay long in that party to face the same electorate. He changed his constituency as easily as getting into a new shirt.
His road to success was laid over and again by gauging the changing winds or sensing the infinitesimal changes in the rising heat, due to his hoarded wealth. Now you understand the frequent loyalty-blood transfusion and travels from ‘A’ to ‘B’ and then back to ‘A’?
He reaped twin benefits - one in his personal advancement by swimming in multiple currents, and two being accepted in any other party at any time. Anticipating the black day that would surely come, he had compiled a dossier of ‘bargainable’ intel, wherever he was active as a powerful public figure.
If merciful, a work horse of the party is always put to pasture when its output diminishes. Otherwise, it gets sidelined and the party waits for an opportunistic moment to offer it as a sacrifice, to save the rider!
His pre-emptive measures to delay the inevitable kept on tinkering with the loyalty-blood pressure and the muscles of the heart and kidneys. Constituents of the body started deserting the assembly.
As this internal battle was going on, the suppressed conscience rose like Phoenix from the ashes to demand its over dues. In his prime, he had defaulted on many payments at will, shielding himself against penal actions by loyalty cum turning chameleon gene expressions. That trick did not work with his conscience.
Silently, the DNA was expressing itself by generating a host of other illnesses to remind the politician who was the supreme boss. Under the shadow of these expressions, his conscience became hyper active to torment him without let. The internal and external heat becoming unbearable, he sought refuge and succour.
Then he remembered the word-of-mouth whisperings "you will find the money well spent. No one will bother you as they don't allow visitors and you can plan your next move from the comfortable CICU instead of hiding in some hell hole.”
He would let all the others to think, whatever they want. He knew where aces and rabbits are kept hidden. He had the source code to unlock the deck (playing cards) and the warrens. He did one thing that no one expected him to do - as per prearrangement, had an upcoming Vlogger tagging him behind the ambulance. To make sure, he had waved a thick black colour folder at the Vlogger’s camera. For a telling visual effect, he had even stuck a yellow rose bloom with stem in that folder.
Going by the word-of-mouth, he had chosen this multi-specialty hospital. Yes, true to the name, specialists have been visiting him, scribbling something in the case sheet and leaving in a hurry without even uttering a hello to him. He wondered whether they are aware or ignorant of the fact that his stay costs him a hefty sum every day, leaving his nose bleeding?
When the news of him occupying a bed in CICU made its way into the media (he had engineered it by another leak), his detractors sharpened their sound bites and the IT cell of his current party got busy in planning an AI generated obituary. But postponed its release fearing the expose’ in the form of that black folder stuck with a yellow rose bloom with stem.
The ever-hungry media headquartered in glass towers or the freelance tubers churning out from kitchen shelves, ate and regurgitated the diet meal from the CICU. Few enterprising astrologers eagerly submitted hourly predictions competing with the hospital's health bulletins.
For the once a powerful public figure, the CICU reminded him of solitary confinement with tubes and monitors pinging away for his money’s worth! His mind was in a turmoil recounting missed deals and half-brokered deals. The question of succession has been addressed to some extent but grooming a protege to safeguard the chosen successor stood at the crossroads. He berated himself for waiting too long to tie up all these loose ends of his political legacy.
The wily political hyena packs remained at a distance, smelling something fishy but hesitating to untie the parcel. For now, they decided to keep vigil, on the patient as well as the other opponents. The once powerful public figure, after coming to know of this vigil, laughed at himself first and then at the hyena packs.
The rest in CICU has rejuvenated his health and spirit. He got the clarity that even though once a powerful public figure, now, "holding a thick file adorned with a rose bloom on its stem, is the key to any power vault" is still unbeatable!
He had another hearty laugh and discharged himself out, but not before shredding the papers and disposing of the emptied folder. The hospital staff gladly obliged, in lieu of a negotiated future favour.
He would let the wily pack of hyenas keep guessing. He had pen drives, SD cards and so many other storage pouches. The black folder might have done its job, by now! He could surely come up with another decoy, if another occasion warranted it!
He fully understood that the word-of-mouth whisperings "you will find the money well spent. No one will bother you as they don't allow visitors and you can plan your next move from the comfortable CICU instead of hiding in some hell hole." It was insanely true and based on sound logic. He laughed once more at the exit of the hospital, before getting into his chauffeured limousine.
The vlogger captured his quiet departure, wondering what happened to that black folder? He was not alone, the wily hyena packs once again smelling something fishier than the last time, stood transfixed, wondering about the same missing black folder!
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