Short Stories, Long Odds

Things are bad all over. But the Congo, of all places, had multiparty elections today.

Mr. Mabuisi, the 80-year-old voter who has lived through it all, said he voted for Mr. Bemba because he was worried about what would happen if Mr. Bemba lost.

“This is democracy,” he said, as he slipped his precious voting card in his pocket and walked away.