December 14, 2020--Jack's Last Tape

"I'll bet you thought I was dead." 

Jack chuckled, enjoying his attempt at humor. 

I said, "The last thing Trumpers should laugh about is people dying."

Ignoring me, he said, "Well I'm still here to tell the tale." 

"Unless you're calling to concede, I'm not interested." 

"I'll admit it isn't looking good."

"That's an understatement." 

"I called to . . ."

I cut him off, "Your boys are looking more and more like the gang that can't shoot straight. They're mainly a lot of bluster  Even at the so-called rally they held in Washington on Saturday the best they could manage was to stab a few people. Including some of their own people. Not that that's nothing. But it was pretty pathetic. Thankfully all they could manage was to look scary. Most of them seemed like they're living on McDonald's and six packs."

"I don't disagree," Jack said, "Though 74 million . . ."

I lied, "I only have five minutes. After the Supreme Court I'm feeling good, optimistic, and don't want you bringing me down."

"I'll only . . ."

"I've spent years tying to figure out his appeal and why so many of you are eager to serve as his sycophants. I've lost some friends because by taking him seriously they contend I'm an enabler."

"Could I . . ?"

"You know what? I'm finished with you and your kind. The fact that you're still supporting him tells me there's something seriously wrong with you. I won't go so far as my friend Eli who says that the problem is that you're all stupid. But it is almost enough to write you off because you're so eager to believe what Trump spews and Fox News promulgates." 

"Let me say . . ."

"Most of the people I know--admitably liberals--think it's all about race. That Trumpers, including you, continue to follow him because you're racists. That's a big part of the problem but for me that's not the whole picture."

"So what . . ."

"A lot has to do with how he treats everyone with contempt. Especially women. Why so many keep voting for him is still one of life's unsolved mysteries."

"But he . . ."

"More than anything else he has stood by and done nothing while hundreds of thousands of Americans died. In a just world he would be prosecuted for mass murder and treason as he does what he can to undermine American democracy."

Jack said, "I can't believe . . . "

Before he could complete a sentence, I told him his five minutes and five years are up.