Read Online Season of the Witch by Árni Thórarinsson - Free Book Online
Authors: Árni Thórarinsson
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once that it had been a joke that went too far. She’s a wreck. She’s just a young girl, trying to be cool. That anyone could do such a thing to a kid…”
We say our good-byes, coolly on his side. Now for Hannes.
“Hannes, do you understand now why I was unhappy about Trausti being appointed news editor?” I ask, temper fraying.
“Calm down, sir, calm down. I saw that awful blunder this morning, and I wanted to hear your side before going any further.”
I explain what happened.
“Is this our new news-gathering policy?” I angrily expostulate. “Am I supposed to put up with this unprincipled clown,who’s been thrown off TV? He’s allowed to run amok, playing stupid tricks, and with no idea of the bigger picture. He can only do harm to the paper and its staff. And—most important of all—destroy the lives of innocent people. Just to put himself in the limelight and sell a few more papers.”
“I’m sure Trausti meant well. He is supposed to make sure that the paper always takes people by surprise, and raise our profile,” Hannes feebly counters.
“If it had been a news item, or an important article, it might have been acceptable to take chances. But this…”
“I know what you’re saying, my good sir, but…”
“Look, Hannes,” I interrupt, “if we don’t publish an apology on the front page tomorrow…”
“On the front page?”
“Yes. On the front page. If we don’t publish an apology there tomorrow, signed by the news editor, taking personal responsibility for the error, you’ll have my resignation. And I assure you, I’m not bluffing.”
“Now, now…”
“No,
now nows
won’t help. If you don’t do this, I might as well give up and go home. How do you think I would be able to get interviews and information after such a scandal? Gain people’s confidence, make contacts?”
I hear Hannes light a cigar, puff, and exhale. “All right, my good sir. We’ll do as you say. Trausti will learn his lesson.”
“I doubt it.”
I’ve got a grip on myself, but I’m as angry as ever.
“Anything else of interest?” Hannes inquires, signaling a change of subject.
“Yes, actually, really good news,” I reply. “Pal has turned up. Joy is unconfined in the domain of the former news editor—andactually I’m beginning to feel Ásbjörn would have been preferable to Trausti.”
Once I’ve filled him in on the details of Pal’s rescue, Hannes comments:
“Indeed. Well, I think such good news calls for a follow-up. An interview with the girl who saved the little dog, a photo of them together. It will be a feel-good human interest story for people in Akureyri, and other readers, in tomorrow’s paper. In the first place it will counteract any negative impact of the matter we were discussing earlier. Secondly, it’s a story that everyone can identify with. Thirdly, it will be a justification for our unprecedented Missing Dog story in today’s paper. And fourthly, it will demonstrate that the
Afternoon News
can help people with their everyday problems. So what do you say to that?”
I think about what he has said. I must admit he has a point. “OK, I’ll do it. And you’ll rake Trausti over the coals?”
“As good as done, my good sir. As good as done.”
Kjartan Arnarson is far from thrilled when I tell him about my dealings with Hannes.
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” he says. “And I may still take other action to regain my good name.”
In reception Karólína is working, and Pal is once again tethered to the desk by his leash. Karólína is singing in a whiny voice like someone playing a saw, humming something undefined as she works. Her singing voice is nothing like her throaty speaking voice. I ask after Jóa. Karólína tells me she’s gone out with her camera bag. Ásbjörn is at his desk in his office. I can see he has shaken off his worries. I tell him about Hannes’s idea.
“Excellent,” he says. “Good for everyone.”
“I suppose you made a
We say our good-byes, coolly on his side. Now for Hannes.
“Hannes, do you understand now why I was unhappy about Trausti being appointed news editor?” I ask, temper fraying.
“Calm down, sir, calm down. I saw that awful blunder this morning, and I wanted to hear your side before going any further.”
I explain what happened.
“Is this our new news-gathering policy?” I angrily expostulate. “Am I supposed to put up with this unprincipled clown,who’s been thrown off TV? He’s allowed to run amok, playing stupid tricks, and with no idea of the bigger picture. He can only do harm to the paper and its staff. And—most important of all—destroy the lives of innocent people. Just to put himself in the limelight and sell a few more papers.”
“I’m sure Trausti meant well. He is supposed to make sure that the paper always takes people by surprise, and raise our profile,” Hannes feebly counters.
“If it had been a news item, or an important article, it might have been acceptable to take chances. But this…”
“I know what you’re saying, my good sir, but…”
“Look, Hannes,” I interrupt, “if we don’t publish an apology on the front page tomorrow…”
“On the front page?”
“Yes. On the front page. If we don’t publish an apology there tomorrow, signed by the news editor, taking personal responsibility for the error, you’ll have my resignation. And I assure you, I’m not bluffing.”
“Now, now…”
“No,
now nows
won’t help. If you don’t do this, I might as well give up and go home. How do you think I would be able to get interviews and information after such a scandal? Gain people’s confidence, make contacts?”
I hear Hannes light a cigar, puff, and exhale. “All right, my good sir. We’ll do as you say. Trausti will learn his lesson.”
“I doubt it.”
I’ve got a grip on myself, but I’m as angry as ever.
“Anything else of interest?” Hannes inquires, signaling a change of subject.
“Yes, actually, really good news,” I reply. “Pal has turned up. Joy is unconfined in the domain of the former news editor—andactually I’m beginning to feel Ásbjörn would have been preferable to Trausti.”
Once I’ve filled him in on the details of Pal’s rescue, Hannes comments:
“Indeed. Well, I think such good news calls for a follow-up. An interview with the girl who saved the little dog, a photo of them together. It will be a feel-good human interest story for people in Akureyri, and other readers, in tomorrow’s paper. In the first place it will counteract any negative impact of the matter we were discussing earlier. Secondly, it’s a story that everyone can identify with. Thirdly, it will be a justification for our unprecedented Missing Dog story in today’s paper. And fourthly, it will demonstrate that the
Afternoon News
can help people with their everyday problems. So what do you say to that?”
I think about what he has said. I must admit he has a point. “OK, I’ll do it. And you’ll rake Trausti over the coals?”
“As good as done, my good sir. As good as done.”
Kjartan Arnarson is far from thrilled when I tell him about my dealings with Hannes.
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” he says. “And I may still take other action to regain my good name.”
In reception Karólína is working, and Pal is once again tethered to the desk by his leash. Karólína is singing in a whiny voice like someone playing a saw, humming something undefined as she works. Her singing voice is nothing like her throaty speaking voice. I ask after Jóa. Karólína tells me she’s gone out with her camera bag. Ásbjörn is at his desk in his office. I can see he has shaken off his worries. I tell him about Hannes’s idea.
“Excellent,” he says. “Good for everyone.”
“I suppose you made a
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