iN mY oLD tOWN, tHE eLECTION oF a nEW mAYOR wAS a pERIOD oF aLMOST uNBEARABLE eXCITEMENT. fIRST oF aLL tHE vILLAGE eLDERS wERE lOCKED iNTO tHE tOWN hALL wITH oNLY tHE vILLAGE bAND fOR eNTERTAINMENT aND nOT lET oUT uNTIL tHEY hAD cHOSEN tHE mAYOR, wHO cOULD bE aNYONE wHO hAD nOT bEEN iN tHE sTOCKS wITHIN tHE lAST mONTH. wHEN aT lAST tHE mAYOR hAD bEEN cHOSEN, tHE eLDERS wOULD eMERGE iN a gREAT pLUME oF wHITE sMOKE fROM tHE rARE hERBS tHE vILLAGE bAND uSED fOR tHEIR iNSPIRATION aND a gREAT pARTY wOULD cOMMENCE. uNFORTUNATELY, oFTENTIMES, bY tHE tIME tHE pARTY hAD eNDED tHE eLDERS wOULD hAVE fORGOTTEN wHO tHEY hAD eLECTED aND tHE wHOLE pROCESS wOULD hAVE tO bEGIN aGAIN.














