The Man They Call Tutankhamun - Chief Liaison for Regional Development of Rinsdale By Marianne Delacroix

Last week, I was invited to the birth of a Nilpert, an animal I was assured only gives birth once every seven years. A joke, of course... It was loud, chaotic, and vaguely majestic. The ceremony took place at the Rinsdale Micro-Zoological Conservatory, a cute little zoo on the west side of Rinsdale. The Nilpert itself emerged backwards, trembling, and seemingly confused by its own arrival. Applause followed.

I left believing I had seen the strangest event Rinsdale had to offer this year.

And then, three days later, I interviewed Sir Aldridge. They call him Tutankhamun. I was told the interview wouldn’t disappoint. ---- Delacroix: "Sir Aldridge, thank you for making time. Let’s begin simply: did your visit to Northton Ville achieve anything?" Aldridge: "Anything? Marianne, it achieved everything it was meant to! And perhaps more. We didn’t come to shake hands and sip tea. This was a foundational moment. I daresay, the beginning of a new era in regional cooperation.

Delacroix: "That’s quite a statement, especially considering there was no endorsement for your mayor."

Aldridge: [smiling with ease] "Our mayor. Endorsements are transient. What we forged this weekend is durable. Dialogue, mutual commitment, the assurance that Rinsdale and Northton Ville stand together, not just for the next election cycle, but for the next generation."

Delacroix: "But let’s be honest... the mayor wanted public support from Northton Ville. And some have suggested your visit felt reactive. Mr. Stueber, the challenger, was there a week earlier. That gave him the initiative, didn’t it?" Aldridge: "Timing is theatre, Marianne, and Stueber does love a spotlight. But leadership isn’t about being first to speak, it’s about having something worth saying. He came to perform. We came to govern. And between us, I’ve seen steadier hands on a tambourine, you've seen it right? Delacroix: "I will leave that for you to say. Are you convinced the mayor’s standing has improved? Polls show a slight drop in favourability in the past week."

Aldridge: "Without a question it improved. We brought reassurance, clarity, and something Mr. Stueber’s camp can’t fake... continuity. A poll just yesterday had him slipping five points. Not that I check those often."

Delacroix: [presses] "Which poll are we talking about?"

Aldridge: [smirks] "Oh, there are a few going around. You’d be surprised how fast those numbers move when the right people start paying attention. Anyway, polls are just one way of measuring momentum. I prefer a more personal touch."

Delacroix: [insistent] "So no answer on the source?"

Aldridge: [leans back, still composed] "Would you like me to text you a PDF after this, or shall we talk about the summit? I promise the coffee at least was verifiable."

Delacroix: "Let’s talk about your image for a moment. You’ve gained a reputation for flamboyance. Some call you charismatic, others... theatrical. And then there’s the nickname: Tutankhamun."

Aldridge: [chuckles] "Yes, that one. It started years ago. You know, some titles are earned, others are inevitable. I didn’t choose it, but I’ve never corrected anyone either. When you walk into a room with a certain posture, when people instinctively lower their voices, they see something larger than politics. A pharaoh, a myth, a figure that doesn't just pass through, but lingers. It stuck, because, how could it not?"

Delacroix: "And the green pants?"

Aldridge: "Enhances my eyes. And disarms opponents."

Delacroix: [pauses] "Some say it undermines your seriousness."

Aldridge: [sharply, but amused] "And some say your interview is too opinionated for a reporter. Shall we exchange rumours or get back to substance darling?"

Delacroix: "By all means. Do you think people admire you?" Aldridge: "Of course they do. Some admire me for what I say, others for how I say it. A few, the smart ones, admire me for what I don’t say. The rest… eventually do."

Delacroix: "You’re quite confident."

Aldridge: "Confidence is knowing admiration when you see it, even if some are still pretending they’re just observing." [brief wink]

Delacroix: [ignores the jab] "Let’s talk about what the public actually got out of this summit."

Aldridge: "Security. Cooperation. Predictability. Let's talk more about you."

Delacroix: "You see no weaknesses in your approach?"

Aldridge: "I see a beautiful journalist fishing for a crack in the armour. But no, not today."

Delacroix: "I’m simply asking what the public deserves to know."

Aldridge: [leans forward slightly] "And I’m answering, directly."

Delacroix: "Some critics say you’re more drawn to the performance than the policy."

Aldridge: [smirks] "That’s a charming way to put it. I suppose I’m drawn to impact. Some give speeches and hope they echo. Others walk into a room and change the temperature. I tend to do the latter."

Delacroix: "And you believe you changed the temperature?"

Aldridge: [tilts his head] "Didn’t I?"

Delacroix: [brief pause] "Many still wonder who you are outside the public spotlight, what your life looks like when you’re not... adjusting the temperature."

Aldridge: "Quieter than most assume. I read obsessively. History, strategy, the occasional scandal. I cook when I feel generous, usually Mediterranean, though some claim it's aphrodisiacal. I walk at night, always alone. There’s honesty in the dark, and fewer people trying to impress me.

I sleep irregularly. Think constantly. Keep very few people close. Solitude isn’t something I endure, it’s where I calibrate. And frankly, I’ve never needed a crowd to know I’ve arrived."

Delacroix: "Ehmm... let's move on."

Aldridge: "What about you, Marianne? What do you do when the recorder’s off?"

Delacroix: [smiles without answering] "Final question. If you had to summarise the summit in one sentence?"

Aldridge: [after the briefest pause] "We came, we steadied the table, and we left the room knowing no one else could’ve done what I did. Well... except the mayor, of course." [little wink]

Delacroix: "Thank you Mr. Aldridge." Aldridge: "My pleasure. And please, Tutankhamun will do just fine."

We ended the interview shortly after. He stood, adjusted his collar with military precision, and left with a final nod that felt half-salute, half-performance.

Whether the summit truly changed anything remains to be seen. But Sir Aldridge believes it did, and he’ll make sure you remember it that way.

– Reporting by Marianne Delacroix, Rinsdale Times