Bizarre TRiUMPhant Tales

7. The Devil and Ms Rodham

In 1961 a young girl felt one of the first of many disappointments.

Her heart had been set, at the age of thirteen, going on fourteen, on becoming an astronaut ... the first female astronaut in fact. However a letter from NASA informed her that they weren't accepting women into the program. :(

The girl felt sad, but soon turned her efforts towards something more achievable. Politics! Or rather 'school politics.' She was elected Vice President of her class in her junior year. :)

Emboldened the young Miss Rodham stood for Class President in her senior year - her two opponents were both boys. One of them told her "you are really stupid if you think a girl can be elected president." - she lost. :(

Supported by her parents - her mother wanted her to become an independent, professional career woman and her father believed she displayed abilities and intelligence that warranted opportunities that weren't limited by her gender - Hilary learned, grew and dedicated herself towards a future full of hope and promise.

Through-out high school she showed a great interest in politics and was even an active campaigner for Republican candidate Barry Goldwater during the 1964 election. He lost in a landslide. :(

In 1965 Hilary enrolled in Wellesley College, majoring in Political Science and in her freshman year she served as President of the ... Young Republicans! Her presidential experience continued in 1968 where she became President of the Wellesley College Government Association. During this time and following the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King, young Hilary was active in supporting and recruiting black students and faculty. A number of her fellow students thought she might some day become the first female President of the United States.

She liked this thought. She liked it a lot.

Then the seventies rolled around and now Hilary Rodham had entered Yale to study law. She had also become disillusioned with the Republican Party.

In the spring of 1971 Hilary was 23 years old ...

***

Hilary was feeling depressed ... she had accomplished so much, but she was impatient for her future to happen. So she said the words - it was her ritual and had been since she was a child. She muttered the words into her pillow before she fell asleep - not every single night, but on those nights when her mood was ... well, when things struck deeply to her core and on those nights she whispered.

'I want to be the first female president of the united states.'

This night, unbeknownst to her, it was the 1000th time she had uttered the words. Usually she fell asleep with no hint that her prayers had been heard but tonight was different.

'What would you give for your chance to be president?' whispered a voice, so softly she barely heard it.

'I'd give my soul,' she muttered sleepily.

'You want it that much?' came the voice.

Hilary mumbled a reply. 'Yes. YES! But they won't let me ... they'll never even let a woman run. Oh if only I could just have that chance. To run for the presidency!'

'SO BE IT!'

Hilary jolted upright, awake and afraid as the voice boomed loudly and there, in a puff of smoke appeared a devilishly handsome man in a black velvet suit. He had slicked back black hair and a goatee beard. His eyes were a reddish green.

Hilary started to scream but with a wave of his hand, her voice became stilled. She could do nothing while he sat on her bed and smiled at her.

'Hush now little Hilary. I am not here to harm you - I'm here to grant you your heart's desire. Name me.'