Of Muses and Men...

This was written for the Banana Bar contest using the following prompt:

Because Writing.com is an American-based web business all muses are deemed American citizens regardless of the nationality and location of the author. I don't make the rules.

Your muse just announced its candidacy for president of the United States of America, and you are the campaign manager.

Write a winning rally speech for your muse.

"Tell me, O Muse, of the man of many ways..."
                                                           Homer

Clio had had enough. Sick of Aphrodite's vengeful curse, her banishment, she would seek power in other ways. "Wasn't marrying the King of Macedonia severe enough?" Clio thought. "Did Aphrodite have to keep her down? How much longer would this last?" She would have power again and had a new plan on how to get it.

Dave Wagner sat at his desk, still in shock over the events of the last seven days. Clio had actually appeared to him, spoke to him. She was here, in the next room, and she wanted his help. He still found it hard to fathom and wondered if he was losing his mind.

A week ago, he was just an average guy, a nobody really. His greatest achievement had been as a campaign manager for the new mayor of his small town. After helping the guy win the election, he was brought on as the Mayor's Chief of Staff. Life hadn't seemed so bad just one week ago, but man... how things had changed.

Dave loved history. It was truly his greatest passion. A voracious reader, his favorite past time was reading anything about the Greek pantheon, especially Clio, the Muse of History. He had probably read everything that had ever been written about her. He had also watched just about every show or movie that had included her - Batman, Hercules, Xanadu, The Chronicles of St. Mary's, and even Wonder Woman. He was obsessed. He knew it and didn't care.

Last Friday, while sitting comfortably on his couch, he began re-reading, for the third time, Piers Anthony's Currant Events. He had always loved this book.

"Hello, Dave. I have wanted to meet you for a long time."

Dave froze, a sudden chill creeping down his spine, the voice had come from behind him, but he was afraid to turn around and look. "Come on, Dave," he heard the female voice say behind him.

Doing what was probably the bravest thing in his life, Dave sat up and turned around.

Before him stood the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. Wavy, dark, shoulder length hair framed an angelic face. Piercing sea-blue eyes regarded him with amusement. Dressed all in blue to match her eyes, she gave a small curtsy.

"I have been watching you for a long time, Dave. It is rare in these times to have such a devoted follower."

Staring in shocked amazement, and realizing who this must be, Dave fell to one knee. "Muh..., My Lady," Dave stuttered. " I.. uh..."

"Get up! Get up, man. I didn't come here for adulation. I need your help." With that, Clio walked over and held out her hand.

"Dave, get up, and call me Clio. We've got work to do."

Taking Clio's hand, Dave rose to his feet. "Work? What kind of work, what kind of help could you possibly need from me?" Dave Said.

"I am going to run for President," Clio said, "and you are going to help me!"

Dave said nothing, he just stared, open-mouthed.

"You got that guy elected with your speeches," Clio said. "You know, the Mayor? He would have never made it without you."

"Come over to the table and sit. I will explain what I want and why. After that," she said. "You can write the speech."

Dave sat and listened. He knew the story of Clio's banishment, but she added new details, new information. He would never have believed that Aphrodite could have been so cruel. Clio spoke of her vision for the United States. How, through her knowledge of history, and her ability to gauge the mood of the country, she had a solid plan. That she would run and win.

When she finished, Dave was pumped. Not only was she able to inspire him, but he found that he agreed with her as well. Wasting no time, he started writing.

Hours went by as Clio paced. Several times Clio had approached and asked how he was doing.

"Please bear with me," Dave said. "I will be done soon."

Finally, Dave tapped his keyboard one final time and looked up. "Give it a read," he said. "If you want anything changed, I will do it right now."

Taking his laptop, Clio sat on Dave's couch, pulling her legs up under her, and started reading.

My friends, we meet here tonight based upon common concerns, a common desire to work against the evil forces arrayed against us, to restore decency to our government, and to protect our God-given rights. We seek no control except that over our own destinies.

Our personal liberties are under attack. Political correctness threatens to stifle our speech, even to control what we do. And if that does not work, they seek to cancel us, to make us pariahs in our own land.

Government overreach endangers our freedoms, and that of our families. Our schools try to indoctrinate our children into their own progressive ideologies. They have even tried to control our speech with legislation, telling us what we can and cannot say under penalty of law. We are on a dangerous path toward socialism. We will soon get there if we do not change course now.

And these are not the only, or the worst, challenges we face. Spending is out of control. Taxes are on the rise, putting our nation in peril, in danger from rising inflation. Covid has ravaged our countrymen, but not just because of the disease, but also from fear that we are not getting all of, or even the truthful, information about it. Our immigration system is broken, our borders open. Illegal immigration threatens our livelihoods and our economy.

And yet through it all. Our leaders seem determined to force us down socialism's path. My friends, we cannot allow this. We need to return to our roots, our traditional values, values of honesty and goodness. We need to incentivize families that stay together, not those that are broken. We need transparency in government. Too long have we have gone uninformed, fearing what they do behind closed doors.

Regardless of all of the challenges we face, I am at peace. I say this because I know the unconquerable American spirit. We have transcended our difficulties before. Our ability to overcome adversity is the hallmark of our character as Americans. Together, we will not fail.

God Bless You, and God Bless the United States of America!

Clio sat silently for a moment, her head down. Looking up, she closed the laptop and smiled.

"This is brilliant!" She told Dave. There is no way we can lose. Looking thoughtful, Clio said, "We are in a story of Return, Dave. Not of Odysseus this time, but of my own."

Zeus stood looking down at Clio, his face blank. Aphrodite frowned. Hera, on the other side of Zeus, said "Your daughter is causing trouble again, Zeus." Turning, she walked away.

Standing not far away, Mnemosyne looked on in silence...

1169 words