Page 4 of The Politician

“Fuck off.” Kendra laughed.

“Only six weeks, Kenny.”

She looked up into the thick grey blanket that hovered not too far from her head. How to tell Malee she wouldn’t be going on holiday because she was starting a new job? “Not liking the sweaty you image. TMI. But the heat would be nice.”

Malee laughed. “So, what did I do to deserve a call?”

Kendra wandered towards a large object she couldn’t quite make out that had been discarded at the gated entrance to a field. “I took a job.”

“What, a proper job? That’s cool.”

“Gardening’s a proper job. It’s just…” Her landscaping work had been great, but there was so much wrong with the way people treated their land. Opting for cheaper materials from dubious sources, the overuse of concrete, and too many clients wanting to circumnavigate regulations to make a bigger buck. She’d refused to take on contracts that compromised her morality, which had resulted in her working smaller local jobs that didn’t pay well. “Yeah, I’ve got a proper job.”

“Christ. I never thought I’d hear you say those words.”

“Who in their right mind dumps a bath at the side of the road?” Kendra tried to heave it from its hiding place.

“You what?”

“Sorry, some asshole has dumped one of those fuck-off huge acrylic bathtubs on the side of the road. It’s a disgrace, and the council are doing jack shit about it.”

“What’s the job?”

“Research and admin support.”

“Okay. Sounds like an indoor job, bound to a desk and swamped in paperwork. You said you’d never tie yourself to an office job. Why don’t you come here and work with me? Build eco lodges, save the elephants and tigers, and support the environment.”

“Hm.” Kendra dragged the bath to the side of the road and took a photo of it. She would report it to the council.

“You’re still coming on holiday?”

She bit her lip. “Um.”

“Kenny.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t get the time off. I’ll come later in the year when things have settled.” She kicked at the grass, disappointed at having had to cancel.

“Damn.”

“I know. It’s a bummer. I didn’t want to push it. It’s maternity cover for a year and I want to give a good impression. A month off in the first three months wasn’t going to cut it. Anyway, how’s the project going?”

“Really good. We’re building an education centre for visitors at the elephant park. We’ve just planted our two hundredth tree and the regeneration of the Asian elephants is going great.

“That’s brill.”

“It’s amazing. You’d love it here.”

Kendra drew on Malee’s excitement and felt optimistic about what she might be able to achieve in her new role. They thought the same way and got a buzz out of the same things, and Kendra was ever hopeful that she could make change happen by appealing to ministers. Malee was the one person who seemed to understand her. “I’m going to work for the environment minister’s office. My research could influence government policy at some point.” That was what the agency had told her and the main reason she’d taken the role, since she’d have to commute into London. In truth, her work would only really matter if the party won the next election.

“So, you’re going to be the activist inside government. Like an environmental spy?”

“Ha. No, those days are over, but I think I could do something positive working on the inside.”

“Your dad must be ecstatic. A secure job with a decent pension.”

Kendra laughed. “Don’t remind me. I’m not doing it for that. And there isn’t a pension, yet. But don’t tell him that.”

“So, you’re doing it for the laughs.”

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