The Voice of the Revolution (standard:drama, 3471 words)
Author: TJC	Added: Nov 09 2006	Views/Reads: 3466/2252	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A radio talk show host finds out that the new America he helped create comes with a price.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story


“He is telling students that radio is the last market to express free
ideas.  That the newspapers and print media are now controlled by a 
corporate government , just as the entertainment industry is. He is 
telling them that talk radio with open phones,  though dominated by the 
powers that be, is the only place from which to get ideas out there. 
One student wrote in their school paper that ideas, even the most 
unpopular, have to be expressed openly for freedom to survive.” 

“Hugo Edwards is an idealist,” said Rob.  “He's always been that way.  A
liberal dinosaur to be sure, but he's harmless and he does so much good 
for the students in his charge.  He inspires and makes people believe 
in themselves.  That's what he did for me. Once these kids get in the 
real world they'll soon learn that the old ways didn't work and this 
new era is one of prosperity and order.” 

“His ideas are archaic and dangerous.”  Alf then walked behind Rob and
patted his shoulder, speaking quietly, “You know, Rob, 'Our teachers 
should teach, not pass on their own political beliefs to their 
students.' Remember who said that?” 

Rob nodded, hearing his own words in his ear.  He'd said it when a
history teacher was pointing out parallels between the President and 
how Adolf Hitler incorporated power in the early 1930's.   After Rob 
spent two days talking about the man's past, his alcohol-related car 
accident, which happened when the man was nineteen years old, it was 
only a matter of time before he was forced out and gone. 

“Can I count on you to have a chat with him, Rob?”  Alf Reynolds sat
down at his desk and looked at Layton as he sat back in his chair, 
hands behind his head.  “Just a friendly talk?” 

Rob Layton nodded.  He wasn't at all sure what he was going to say to
his former professor, but he had to at least try.  Somehow he felt like 
he was betraying Professor Edwards, but if he refused he'd be betraying 
Alf Reynolds, the man who had made him The Voice of the Revolution. 

The office of Hugo Edwards had always been perpetually dusty and
cluttered.  Rob hadn't been to see him in years, mostly out of fear, 
for when Edwards stopped answering his e-mails word had reached Layton 
that his old professor felt that his once prized student had become the 
crystal example of what was wrong with the country. Rob hadn't had the 
courage to go see him, nor say anything about it to anyone.  Now, 
though, he had no choice.  The old professor was sitting and looking at 
some papers.  His gray hair a mere patch on a bald head, his glasses 
down on his nose and wearing a white shirt mapped with wrinkles up and 
down and every which way.  He didn't even look up. 

“The voice of the revolution has arrived,” he said evenly.  “To what do
I owe this honor?” 

“Hello Professor Edwards,” replied Rob, still standing at the door. 
“It's been a long time.” 

“It has indeed, but not long enough,” his voice filled with controlled
contempt. 

“May I come in and sit down?”  Rob started in but stopped abruptly when
his old mentor shouted. 

“I didn't invite you in!  State your business and leave.” 

“I'm sorry you hate me, Mr. Edwards, but I have always held you in high
esteem and will never forget the lessons I learned from you.” 

“You forgot what I taught you a long time ago.” 

“That's not true, I just have different views than you do.  I....” 
Layton hesitated.  He hated what was happening and was desperate to 
leave.  “I was trying to help get the country going in a more positive 
direction.  That's not why I'm here, though.” 

“Why are you here?  To offer condolences?” 

“What?” 

“I was told I either resign or get fired.  Tenure no longer matters in
this country.  You and your kind have seen to that.  If I resign, I 
retain some dignity and my pension.  If I'm fired I will be publicized 
in a negative light and they will do all they can to wipe out my 
pension. It's my choice, the board of directors said.  I have until 
tomorrow.” 

Layton was stunned.  Alf Reynolds had said nothing about Hugo Edwards
being given an ultimatum.  Perhaps he hadn't known?  Of course he'd 
known.  The powers that be would prefer that the old man go quietly, 
perhaps even with a dinner in his honor. 

“I didn't know about that,” was all Layton could say.  “What are you
going to do?” 

“They can fire me.  I will not make things easier for your friends.” 

“You've done a great deal for many students, including myself.  Why not
take the retirement and not only get the pension you so richly deserve, 
but also give many of us who have learned so much from you the chance 
to say thank you?”  Rob finally inched inside the doorway, but as soon 
as he did Hugo Edwards stood up. 

“You're here to convince me, huh? I have to go.” 

“So you're mind is made up?” 

Edwards shook his head slowly, his eyes filled with disappointed anger. 

“Professor, what would be the point?”  Rob took a step toward his former
teacher but Edwards took a step back and waved him off. “You've had a 
distinguished career, why ruin it all?  Just because you disagree with 
the government?” 

“Don't you see that by making them fire me, by standing up, I'm teaching
my students the best lesson.  The lesson that we don't have to become a 
mouthpiece for the state.” 

“Is that really how you see me?  That I've done nothing of any worth?” 

Hugo Edwards was clenching his teeth.  Layton wondered if his mentor was
going to punch him.  “Freedom of expression curtailed, judicial 
branches neutered, elite police forces able to search and detain 
without warrants, and all these things happened with your voice on the 
air nationwide cheering them on.” 

“The people wanted this.  There was no military coup or anything like
that,” Rob said. 

“You know full well how powerful your position voice is and how you can
influence people.  You could have used it to protect people from what 
came.” 

“Had I done that I wouldn't have been on the air.  Besides, most of the
changes have been  for the better.  I really believe that.” 

“Goodbye, Robert.”  The old professor walked out, leaving his office
unlocked and open, presumably never to come back. 

Rob looked into the hallway and he was gone.  He shut his door and
decided it was time to go home.  He'd tried.  Hugo Edwards was a 
stubborn man, a decent man but too stubborn for his good. 

That night, Rob lay in bed with his fourth wife, Karen, a young woman he
didn't love but did love sleeping with.  None of his four marriages 
were anything to write home about.  All the women he'd married were 
distant seconds to his career. At least he'd been smart enough not have 
fathered any children.  He presumed it was no different on Karen's side 
either- she didn't love him, but did love what he did for her.  Why 
else would a twenty-eight year old blonde and blue-eyed model be with 
an overweight fifty-five year old radio man, except that his name could 
help her career?  Despite this, he decided to tell her about what had 
happened and how it was bothering him.  Her response shouldn't have 
been a surprise. 

“He made his choice to speak out and now he can live with it.  He's
jealous that you were smart enough to see the writing on the wall and 
become useful to those in control.” 

“Is that what I did?”  Rob rubbed her shoulders as she kissed his chest.
 “You think I made some calculated decision based on who was in power?” 


“Didn't you?”  Her hand reached inside his briefs and he shut his eyes. 

“I did what I thought was best for the country.  We needed to be
protected against terror and the nation's values were a mess.  Now the 
people can be proud of what America stands for.” 

“They better be proud or else, huh Baby?”  She slipped him into her
mouth. 

“No, I mean it.” Rob pulled her off him.  “What I do is right and just
for the country.” 

“Oh what does it matter?  Can we do it now or are we going to just
sleep?”  When she took him back into her mouth he stayed quiet but his 
mind was racing.  They better be proud or else, huh Baby?  He kept 
hearing it in his head. 

Alf Reynolds already knew that Hugo Edwards had told Layton to get lost
and he was in no mood to discuss options. 

“I want you to hit him on the air,” he said.  “And I want him hit hard. 
Understand?” 

“On what basis?”  Rob stared out the window at the sun splashed city
below. “I mean he's been fired so what's the point?” 

“To send a message.  Did you know his daughter had an abortion?” 

“She did?  Is she in jail?” 

“No, he had the money to send her to Europe.” Abortion had been outlawed
a couple of years earlier, but European countries, at least most of 
them, still allowed them.  People with a little money could get across 
the Atlantic and still take care of an unwanted pregnancy. 

“I don't understand, Alf.  Then what are you getting at?” 

“What the hell is the matter with you?”  Alf Reynolds stood up and
leaned against the front of his desk.  “We can't have him thumbing his 
nose at us.  He has to be discredited.  His daughter's abortion, his 
dangerously liberal views and his refusal to accept a generous offer of 
retirement clearly indicate his subversive tendencies.  You will make 
sure the nation hears about them.” 

Layton nodded but said nothing. 

“You okay, Rob?” 

“Yeah.  I'm fine.” 

“Go give him hell,” said Alf Reynolds, ending their meeting. 

That afternoon, Rob Layton spent the four hours of his radio show
informing his revolutionaries about several people who'd been detained 
on terror and conspiracy charges, one of which was a known former 
member of the now defunct American Civil Liberties Union.  He went on 
to lay out the reasons why searches and detention were a necessary part 
of the new order and protected the values and principles of the 
righteous people of the United States.  During the broadcast he got 
several messages from the top floor that they wanted his piece on 
professor Edwards, but he ignored it.  He just didn't see the point.  
The man had been fired.  He'd paid a price for his misguided but 
well-intentioned thoughts. Rob saw no need to hurt a man who'd been 
such a help to him in developing his talent. 

After he left the air that day, Rob Layton - The Voice of the Revolution
- was fired.  He'd been given no offer of retirement. 

A month following his firing, Rob sat in a bar he'd heard was frequented
by Hugo Edwards.  Supposedly the old professor had done well saving 
money and was doing pretty decently.  He would come and play darts and 
drink some beer with neighborhood friends a couple times a week.  Rob 
envied him.  He also wanted to see if the two of them could patch 
things up.  That hope was all Rob Layton had left.  Overnight he'd lost 
it all, or so it seemed. 

The day he'd been fired he came home to find his house being searched. 
Karen was frantic and angry, not at the police, but at Rob. 

“What the hell did you do?” She screamed.  “Why the hell is the house
being searched?” 

“I have no idea.  I got fired today, but I have no idea what this
about.” 

“Fired?  Why? Can they just fire you for nothing?” 

Rob ignored her and went into the living room and stopped one of the
officers. “What is the meaning of this?  Am I charged with something?” 

“No, Sir,” said the nervous policeman.  “Not that I know of but your
name was on today's list for precautionary search.  I'm sure it will be 
nothing, Mr. Layton.  I love your show.” 

Layton nodded his head and sat in his chair and watched the government
officers go through his belongings.  He heard Hugo Edwards in his head; 
elite police forces able to search and detain without warrants.  He 
knew they'd find nothing subversive, if there was anyone completely on 
the government's side of things, it was Rob Layton.  This was 
punishment.  This was a message.  After a couple of hours the police 
apologized for the mess and announced they'd found nothing and would 
give him a good report.  A dazed Layton shook the lead officer's hand 
and shut the door.  Karen was fuming and started pounding his chest. 

“What the fuck happened?  Why did they fire you?  What in the hell did
you do?” 

Rob pushed her away, sending her into the wall with a hard thud.  He
then went to his liquor cabinet and poured himself a glass of bourbon.  
“I'm sorry,” he said quietly. 

“They must have given you a reason, Rob?  Don't you have some sort of
union?” 

Rob almost laughed.  “Union?  We did, yes.  The National Association of
Broadcast Employees and Technicians.” 

“Can't they help us?” 

Rob shook his head.  “They've been disbanded for several months now. 
They weren't interested in the betterment of the country.   All they 
did, like most labor unions, was protect people who didn't want to 
work, or so I said when hit them on the air.” 

Karen left him later that week. 

Hugo Edwards came into the bar and shook hands with several of the
regulars and was immediately set up with a beer.  One of Hugo's best 
qualities was his down to earth attitude and working man personality.  
Rob always considered him better than those academic elitists that 
always viewed themselves superior to everyone else.  Was that how he 
still felt?  Was he still believing all the things he used to say on 
air? 

Walking up tentatively, Rob said hello to Professor Edwards. 

“Well if it isn't the former voice of the revolution.”  His friends
looked up.  Layton had lost a great deal of weight and his features had 
seen better days.  Few recognized him on the street anymore.  Edwards' 
friends muttered to themselves without saying anything to Rob.  “What 
do you want?” 

“I wanted to say I'm sorry for what happened.” 

“Don't be sorry for me.  I have my savings, my friends and my self
respect.”  Hugo Edwards took a long drink of his beer and then went on. 
 “I have a wife who loves me and children and grandchildren.  Some of 
them even espouse to your views but we still love each other.” 

“That's good.  I'm glad to hear it.” 

“You, Robert Layton, on the other hand, have nobody.  Four ex-wives, no
friends, a shattered career, a career that was forged by attacking 
decent people who simply didn't like what was happening.  The people 
you destroyed are gone or silent now.  We have the country you and 
yours always wanted.” 

“Look we don't have to..” 

“Don't have to what?  You don't want to hear it, Robert?  Then go.” 

Rob stood there silently.  Coming to see Professor Edwards was a
mistake. 

“To Rob Layton,” Edwards said, raising his beer.  His friends joined
him.  “The voice of the revolution.” They all drank.  Rob stood like a 
stone holding his bourbon, then finally shook his head and placed his 
glass on the bar. 

“I think I'll go.”  Rob headed to the door. 

“Robert, you forgot a very important lesson from history.”  Rob turned
and looked at Professor Edwards, who for the first time was looking at 
him with something approaching kindness.  “Once the revolution is won, 
they have no need for revolutionaries. A post revolution revolutionary 
is more dangerous than the enemy.” 

Robert Layton, the once powerful man of the airways, now a pariah to the
government he helped create and hated by those who fought against it,  
walked out of the bar without a clue as to where he was going. TC 


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