Help me find a short story.

October 20, 2008 1:54 PM

Help me find the story about an upset kid who changed the outcome of an election.

IIRC, the story is about a kid and his dog. His neighbor poisons/hurts/kills the dog after finding the dog shitting in his yard. This neighbor is the towns mayor. To get even, the kid drives all the homeless people to the polls and asks them to vote against the incumbent mayor because the mayor had killed his dog. The story ends with the neighbor losing and the kid going into politics.

I'm guessing the story is fiction but would like to know more. Thanks for any help you can provide.

posted by Steph1en to writing & language (3 answers total)

It was Charlie Wilson, subject of a Tom Hanks movie in the last year or two.
posted by indyz at 2:01 PM on October 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

Thank you indyz.
posted by Steph1en at 2:06 PM on October 20, 2008

Since your question is answered, I won't feel bad about yammering when I have no idea if you'll care.

I heard this kid speak at the Obama County Caucus. He ran for mayor when he was still in high school, and if I remember the story correct, he started campaigning when he was 17. He beat the incumbent.

I don't think any dogs were killed though.

Anyway: Roland, Iowa.

Just a cool story about a kid getting into politics.
posted by cjorgensen at 4:04 PM on October 20, 2008