Anywhere you go in Suffolk this week, the hot topic of conversation is who is going to be our mayor.

City Council gathers Thursday for its investiture and even the most fanatical City Hall watchers say they have no idea how it’s going to turn out.

Rumors are that it’s between Mayor E. Dana Dickens III and Suffolk Borough Councilman Bobby Ralph. Both men have reportedly been busy making alliances and tallying votes, as have Charles Brown and current Vice Mayor Leroy Bennett, both reportedly wanting to be vice mayor.

What would really be interesting is if a consensus could not be reached and a dark horse candidate emerged to wrest the crown.

Who knows? There’s only one thing that’s reasonably certain: That everything will be all smiles and unanimity come Thursday. But until then, things are likely to be frantic.