“Grandpa?”
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Can I take Traveler for a ride?”
“Did you ask your mother?”
“She said it was okay.”
“Go ahead, then. Don’t go too far. We’re havin’ supper later on.”
“I won’t.”
“You like that horse, don’t ̓cha?”
“Mm hmm,” replies Caitlan as a knock on the door signals the entry of Senator Miles.
“Hi, Nathan.”
“Hello, Martha. How are ya?”
“Just fine. Want some coffee?”
“Please.”
“Hi, Senator Miles.”
“Hello, Caitlan, You’re gettin prettier every time I see you. How old are you now?”
“Fifteen”
“Well, that means you’re old enough to call me Uncle Nathan from now on. Alright?”
“Okay.”
“Caitlan, if you’re gunna ride, you better get goin̓,” Martha says while pouring coffee for Senator Miles.
“Okay, thank you,” Caitlan says as she exits.
“Jack, that’s one beautiful granddaughter you have.”
“Isn’t she, though?”
“Honey, I’m gunna go check on her. I’ll leave you two alone for a while,” Martha says.
“It’s good to see ya, Martha.”
“Good to see you, Nathan. You gunna bring us some fresh trout tomorrow?”
“I hope so,” he says as Martha leaves.
“Well, what’s the news in the Senate, Nathan?”
“Did you hear what Senator Thomas said?”
“No.”
“Oh, he’s hoppin̓ mad.”
“What happened?” asks Senator Fields.
“Myers is havin̓ the Pentagon go through these exercises. Well, we all thought he would collaborate, at least with the Armed Services Committee…not gunna happen. We find out yesterday he’s already started, no hearings, no input from any committees. When Senator Thomas heard that he went ballistic.”
“I guess so. That man’s been on the Armed Services Committee for over twenty years,” Senator Fields says.
“You’d think he’d be shown more respect than that.”
“What are these exercises for, anyway? Does anybody know?”
“Myers says it’s to reduce the chances of accidental nuclear war.”
“Nonsense, the Pentagon doesn’t need him meddling in their business. He’s just playin̓ at Commander in Chief. Hell, he’s not even fifty years old. What’s he know?”
“And won’t be for another, what? Three or four years.”
“He’s too inexperienced.”
“Yeah, but that’s not the worst of it. He’s pushin’ this country down a road it shouldn’t go,” says Senator Fields.
“He’s not as popular as he thinks he is.”
“He made a lot of enemies when he shook up Air Force command, puttin’ his own people in.”
“And for no good reason, none that I could see,” adds Senator Fields.
“I hear he’s goin̓ down to MacDill next week.”
“Well you know why. We have Air Force bases all over this country. Why is only goin’ to Florida? Because Florida’s an important electoral state. That’s why. Hell, he’s in full campaign mode.”
“That’s our President.”
“Oh, he’s more than that. He’s Robin Hood, Santa Claus, and Superman all wrapped up in one. Yeah we need a new title for him. Just to call him Mr. President doesn’t do him justice,” says Senator Fields.
“I know. He thinks he hung the moon. Well, we better get used to it. He’s gunna win re-election unless something changes.”
“I hope it does. Somebody oughta find some dirt on this guy. There must be somethin’ in his past we can use, an extramarital affair, drug use, or somethin.”
“They tried that already…didn’t work,” says Senator Miles.
“Well I think he’s dangerous.”
“He’s certainly a radical.”
“And that’s dangerous, makin’ all these promises to the people. You can’t run a government that way. People get the notion that government is gunna solve all their problems. It undermines individual responsibility.”
“You think this energy bill is going to pass?” Senator Miles asks.
“You mean his latest crusade? I hope not.”
“It’s got a lot of people worried.”
“I know.”
“I had four C.E.O.’s from utility companies in my office last week. They told me if this bill passes they’re gunna start layin’ off workers immediately,” says Senator Fields.
“I believe it. Myers doesn’t care. He wants to remake this country into what he thinks it should be.”