Chapter Six D: Employed

Aaron and Jack stayed seated as the auditorium emptied and only a few die-hard glad-handers were left clustered around the podium. They watched as the Congresswoman dispatched an aide and excused herself from the small crowd to make her way toward the two men at the back of the auditorium. Jack and Aaron rose as she approached.

“Aaron, I’m so glad you came all this way,” she said in greeting. “How are your injuries?”

“Thank you Congresswoman,” Aaron said shaking her hand gingerly. “Still pretty tender, I’m afraid. But enough drugs keep the pain at bay. May I present my good friend and long-time mentor, Dr. Jack Diggory?” He introduced Jack to Pol.

“Dr. Diggory of Indiana University?” Pol asked immediately. “I read your treatise on socio-political activism of the sixties when I was studying at Georgetown. I have to say you influenced my own views. I hope I didn’t give you any regrets when I spoke today.”

“Regrets that I’m not thirty years younger,” Jack responded. “That was a fine, if not very politically advantageous speech you gave today. I’m glad Aaron dragged me all the way down here. It was worth every mile.”

“Political advantage comes in strange forms sometimes,” Pol answered. “With the sudden disfavor of our current administration after the handling of the country’s and the world’s natural disasters and the mounting death toll in Iraq, we find the people suddenly much more willing to hear questions than they were four, even two years ago.”

“Well, if this gathering was typical, you have the makings of a small multitude of followers,” Jack responded. “I think you won my young friend over.”

“I am very impressed,” Aaron said. “I almost think you might have the right thinking that an old hippie could get behind with a clear conscience.”

“I wouldn’t over emphasize my age if I were you,” Pol responded. “What you consider age, we highly prize as experience. Have you considered what I suggested when we last met?” Pol, not certain of how much Aaron had confided in Jack did not want to be overly explicit in her question—something that Aaron recognized as quickly as Jack did.

“I’ve brought a resume if you’d like to peruse it. If there is a place on your staff for an old… for a man with experience, I’d like to interview for the position.”

“Why not do the interview on the way to the airport?” Pol asked suddenly. “Would it be imposing on you too much if I asked you to drive my chief of staff to the airport while I drive Aaron, Dr. Diggory? We can trade partners at the rental lot.”

“I have no objections. Aaron, are you willing to let a U.S. Representative drive you to the airport?” Jack asked.

Things had suddenly gone into an accelerated motion for Aaron. He wasn’t sure if it was the drugs, or just the suddenness of the Representative’s suggestion. He’d expected this to take a long time, not to interview at once.

“Who am I to argue with the government?” Aaron asked.

“Merely a public servant,” Pol smiled. They headed outside and Pol approached a black sedan at the curb. “Nina, I have a guest that I need to talk to in private. I’d like to take the car to the airport. Dr. Diggory will be happy to give you a ride. You may know him or know of him. His works were required reading when I was in school.”

“All right, but you’re sure you want to drive in this rain? I’d be happy to drive while you talk in the back,” Nina suggested. She did not like being relegated to “getting a ride” with a stranger, no matter who he was. Diggory? She didn’t remember reading any of his work. Probably way outdated by now.

“No, not this time. This is a matter that is strictly between the two of us at the moment,” Pol assured her. “I’m sure you and Mr. Case will get an opportunity to chat at another time, however.” Nina raised an eyebrow at Aaron. She didn’t know that Pol had any boyfriends back home and had certainly never heard of a Mr. Case. She really needed to talk to Pol about keeping her better informed about her personal life. First Mr. Jasper and now this guy. Pol sure collected them old. Maybe this was another uncle.

“Very well, if you are certain,” Nina acquiesced in her best DC manner. “Dr. Diggory, I’m Nina Patterson, Congresswoman Stamos’s Chief of Staff. Could I impose on you for a lift to the airport?”

“I’d be delighted Ms. Patterson,” Jack returned. “My car is just in the second row over there. Shall we lead to the airport, Congresswoman?”

“That would be great Dr. Diggory. Please keep me under the speed limit. When I’m engaged in stimulating conversation, I tend to get heavy footed,” Pol laughed. There it was again, Aaron thought. If she had just stood up at the front of the auditorium and laughed, every person in there would have followed her wherever she led. Most of them probably would now as well. Jack and Nina left for Jack’s car and Pol and Aaron slid into the black sedan. In just a moment Jack pulled past them and Pol slid into traffic behind him. As soon as they were on the highway she turned half her attention on Aaron.

“Well, now that we are alone, Aaron, tell me what you really thought about the speech this afternoon,” she said.

“Congresswoman there is very little I could add to it,” Aaron began.

“Please, when we are alone call me Pol. There are few people I can just chat with and I’d rather not call you Mr. Case all the time.”

“That’s a little difficult, but I’ll try, Pol,” Aaron answered. “One is trained to respond in specific ways to the office.”

“Right now, respond to me as a new friend,” Pol suggested. “There will be time enough to be formal. Now about the speech.”

“Yes. Well, if you don’t mind my being blunt, it sounded as though you were kicking off a campaign,” Aaron said. “Don’t get me wrong, it was a good and inspiring speech. It might stick with some of those students past dinner.”

“That good?”

“Definitely,” Aaron replied honestly. “But you left no doubt in anyone’s mind as to where you stand on issues of the environment, race relations, or the war. That is not usually common in a political speech unless you are preparing to differentiate yourself from a potential opponent, or to take the high ground before one can be identified.”

“Do you approve?”

“Not my place to approve or disapprove,” Aaron answered, “but I’d vote for you, and I’d hate to be your opponent. It’s not so much the issues that you bring up, but how you say things. In one moment you can shock a person into silence and the next buoy him up with laughter. I’ve not seen that kind of charisma in a leader in a long time.”

“Well, I’m not really a leader in the grander scope of things,” Pol said. “But it is more important to me that the message was right than that I spoke it winningly. I was concerned that I wasn’t clear on some things.”

“Like what office you are running for.”

“Well, it is a little early to start anything major, but it is an election year and I’ll need to win a third term in congress if I’m going to get anything done,” Pol said.

“Yes. You also need to be in a position of strength when you run for governor in two years,” Aaron tossed out. Pol was startled and turned in her seat to look at Aaron who motioned back at the road in front of her. They rode in silence for a mile. Finally, Pol broke the silence.

“You understand that it would be damaging if that information leaked out to the public before we were ready to actually start a campaign, don’t you?” she asked quietly.

“No one will hear it from me until after you have made a public announcement,” Aaron responded.

“I think we understand each other well,” Pol said.

“There are a few questions,” Aaron began.

“This is an extraordinary thing to ask,” Pol said, “but I’m going to ask you to simply trust me on those questions at the moment. I can assure you that my ethics when placed under your tightest scrutiny will pass muster. For now, I’m going to ask you to simply accept that. I am going to need an experienced press relations manager to keep my campaign focused on the House of Representatives race and not let inappropriate information reach the public.”

“You have my resume,” Aaron said. It was as close as he was going to come to asking her for a job.

“I know what is on your resume,” Pol said. “What I need to know is if you will join me. I’ve already made you the job offer.”

“Congresswoman Stamos… Pol, I would be pleased to manage your press relations,” Aaron answered her. “However, I have to say that I’m not fit to work at the moment. This was a heavy day for me and I’m already feeling the need for a painkiller, no matter how excited I am to be back in the thick of things. Do we need to start immediately? I need to come up to speed on the issues and political landscape for your district anyway.”

“Aaron, you need to be fully recovered before we start working together. I’d suggest you take the rest of this month and the first part of next month to recover, research, and wrap up any business that you currently have pending. I’ll be coming back home for President’s Day in February. I’ll plan on an extra day or two to get us on the same page, then have you come back to Washington to meet the rest of the staff. Most of your work, of course will be back here and not as part of my Congressional staff.”

“That suits me well,” Aaron said.

“Then welcome aboard,” Pol smiled. They were approaching the airport exit and Pol followed Jack toward the Hertz rental lot.

“I wanted to thank you as well for contacting my insurance agent for me,” Aaron mentioned. “I hadn’t even thought about that yet when he arrived at my door.”

“Oh, when I gathered up your briefcase and cell phone to bring to you, I thought I’d check real quickly to see if there was anything else of value that shouldn’t be left in your car. That was when I thought of your insurance. When I saw the name of your agent I realized that he was an old friend of my father’s, so I just went ahead and called him. I meant to mention it when I brought your things by. Did they treat you well?”

“They treated me as though someone very important had told them they’d better. I’ve never seen an insurance claim handled in quite that manner before,” Aaron said.

“You’re getting a lot of assurances from me,” Pol said, “but for what it is worth, I didn’t apply any pressure.”

“I’m sure your name was enough,” Aaron said. “I just wanted to thank you.”

They walked out of the rental lot and joined Jack and Aaron in Jack’s little car.

“Sorry about the cramped quarters,” Jack said as they crawled in the back seat. “But we’ll get you right over to departures and it will be quicker than waiting for the shuttle bus.”

“That’s wonderful, Dr. Diggory. I trust that you and Nina had a good conversation on your way over.”

“Oh yes,” Jack said. “It seems that Washington has changed again since I retired as a professor. But the more it changes, the more it stays the same.” Nina was silent for a moment as Jack turned onto the entry ramp to the airport departures.

“We will have just enough time that you can make the call to Senator Bayh before we board for our flight,” she said to Pol.

“I’d nearly forgotten that,” Pol responded. “You are such a life-saver, Nina. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” She knew Nina was unhappy and needed to be re-affirmed in her value to Pol. It was cruel to simply assign her to a strange place without an explanation, but it couldn’t be helped this time. They got out of the car and set their overnight bags on the curb. Aaron came around the car to get in the front seat where Nina had been riding.

“Oh, before we leave, I wanted to introduce you to each other,” Pol said turning to Nina and Aaron. “Nina, this is Aaron Case. Aaron, my chief of staff, Nina Patterson. You’ll be hearing from her often, I think. Nina, Mr. Case has just agreed to become my new press relations manager for the campaign.” Nina looked shocked and stammered for a moment.

“But I… I have…” She caught herself short. This couldn’t be happening to her. Martin was to be her puppet on the campaign staff. She turned to Aaron and smiled a cold and harsh smile. “Pleased to meet you Mr. Case,” she said. “I’ll get things set up for you as soon as I’m back in DC. Welcome aboard.” She hadn’t learned grace and deportment for nothing. She’d take care of him later.

“Well, good-bye, now,” Pol called. “Thank you Dr. Diggory. I hope we’ll see you again soon.” In a flash Pol and Nina had turned toward the airport check-in and entered the terminal. Aaron slid back into the car and Jack pulled away from the airport.

“I need a coffee shop and a pill,” Aaron said as he leaned back in the seat. Jack didn’t push him, but headed for the nearest truckstop.

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