Don Sample
2006-05-01 03:54:08 UTC
Changing the Guard
------------------
President-Elect Matthew Santos felt like he was leading a parade as he
entered the White House. His wife Helen walked beside him, and behind
them trailed the entourage of their staff, assistants, Secret Service
agents and others whom he had no idea what they did. He sometimes felt
that he should have been issued a drum major's baton, to keep all the
people who followed him around properly in-step.
The parade shrank as they moved through the building. People broke off
to go to their own individual meetings with their counterparts in the
departing administration. Today had been set up to let everyone who
would be taking up positions in the new administration to pick the
brains of the people they would be replacing, after the Inauguration.
When they reached the ante-room of the Oval Office the parade had been
pared down to 'just' himself and his wife, Josh Lyman, Sam Seaborn and
Donna Moss (and his and Helen's personal agents.)
The President's Executive Secretary, Deborah Fiderer, looked up from her
desk. "You can go right in," she told them.
The President's personal aide knocked on the door, and pushed it open.
"President-Elect Santos, Sir," he announced. He held the door as Matt
and the others entered the Oval Office. The Secret Service agents stayed
outside.
President Bartlet was already on his feet, along with the First Lady and
his chief of staff, C.J. Kregg. He stepped forward and extended his
hand. "President-Elect Santos, a pleasure to see you again."
Matt shook the President's hand, and smiled warmly. "And you, Mr.
President."
"Mrs. Santos," the President addressed his wife. "Welcome to the White
House. I'm sure that you and Abby will have much to talk about."
"I'm sure we will, Sir."
The President next turned his attention to Matt's new Deputy Chief of
Staff. "Sam, it's been too long." He went to shake Sam Seaborn's hand as
well. There was an extra warmth in the greeting, as the President
addressed an old friend.
Matt could see the affection reflected in Seaborn's face. "Yes it has,
Mr. President."
"So, Josh roped you into his old job."
"I'm afraid so, Sir."
"Hopefully, you won't screw up as many times as he did."
"Hey!" said Josh. But Matt saw the smiles on their faces. There was no
malice in what the President had said. It was the sort of kidding that
could only take place between long time friends, and colleagues.
"Well, C.J. has got a lot to tell you, and Abby has much wisdom to
impart to Helen, so why don't we all get to work?" asked the President.
C.J. led Josh and Sam off into her office, and Abby took Helen and Donna
away to the Residence, leaving Matt alone with the President in the Oval
Office.
"You know why we're here," said the President.
"You are going to brief me on some of the things that are too sensitive
to be handled by our staffs, Mr. President."
"I think that we can dispense with the formalities. When it's just us,
you can call me 'Jeb,' Mr. President-Elect."
Matt smiled at that. "I'm still getting used to that. Please, call me
Matt."
"Okay, Matt." The President waved his hand toward one of the sofas
flanking the Presidential Seal in the carpet. "Please have a seat." He
sat himself down on the facing sofa.
Matt sat down across the seal from the President. "So, Jeb, is this when
you tell me that we really *do* have some alien spaceships hidden away
in Area 51?"
The President laughed. "Oh, don't I wish!" He sobered up right away
though. "No. This is when I tell you what *really* happened to
Sunnydale California."
------------------
President-Elect Matthew Santos felt like he was leading a parade as he
entered the White House. His wife Helen walked beside him, and behind
them trailed the entourage of their staff, assistants, Secret Service
agents and others whom he had no idea what they did. He sometimes felt
that he should have been issued a drum major's baton, to keep all the
people who followed him around properly in-step.
The parade shrank as they moved through the building. People broke off
to go to their own individual meetings with their counterparts in the
departing administration. Today had been set up to let everyone who
would be taking up positions in the new administration to pick the
brains of the people they would be replacing, after the Inauguration.
When they reached the ante-room of the Oval Office the parade had been
pared down to 'just' himself and his wife, Josh Lyman, Sam Seaborn and
Donna Moss (and his and Helen's personal agents.)
The President's Executive Secretary, Deborah Fiderer, looked up from her
desk. "You can go right in," she told them.
The President's personal aide knocked on the door, and pushed it open.
"President-Elect Santos, Sir," he announced. He held the door as Matt
and the others entered the Oval Office. The Secret Service agents stayed
outside.
President Bartlet was already on his feet, along with the First Lady and
his chief of staff, C.J. Kregg. He stepped forward and extended his
hand. "President-Elect Santos, a pleasure to see you again."
Matt shook the President's hand, and smiled warmly. "And you, Mr.
President."
"Mrs. Santos," the President addressed his wife. "Welcome to the White
House. I'm sure that you and Abby will have much to talk about."
"I'm sure we will, Sir."
The President next turned his attention to Matt's new Deputy Chief of
Staff. "Sam, it's been too long." He went to shake Sam Seaborn's hand as
well. There was an extra warmth in the greeting, as the President
addressed an old friend.
Matt could see the affection reflected in Seaborn's face. "Yes it has,
Mr. President."
"So, Josh roped you into his old job."
"I'm afraid so, Sir."
"Hopefully, you won't screw up as many times as he did."
"Hey!" said Josh. But Matt saw the smiles on their faces. There was no
malice in what the President had said. It was the sort of kidding that
could only take place between long time friends, and colleagues.
"Well, C.J. has got a lot to tell you, and Abby has much wisdom to
impart to Helen, so why don't we all get to work?" asked the President.
C.J. led Josh and Sam off into her office, and Abby took Helen and Donna
away to the Residence, leaving Matt alone with the President in the Oval
Office.
"You know why we're here," said the President.
"You are going to brief me on some of the things that are too sensitive
to be handled by our staffs, Mr. President."
"I think that we can dispense with the formalities. When it's just us,
you can call me 'Jeb,' Mr. President-Elect."
Matt smiled at that. "I'm still getting used to that. Please, call me
Matt."
"Okay, Matt." The President waved his hand toward one of the sofas
flanking the Presidential Seal in the carpet. "Please have a seat." He
sat himself down on the facing sofa.
Matt sat down across the seal from the President. "So, Jeb, is this when
you tell me that we really *do* have some alien spaceships hidden away
in Area 51?"
The President laughed. "Oh, don't I wish!" He sobered up right away
though. "No. This is when I tell you what *really* happened to
Sunnydale California."
--
Quando omni flunkus moritati
Visit the Buffy Body Count at <http://homepage.mac.com/dsample/>
Quando omni flunkus moritati
Visit the Buffy Body Count at <http://homepage.mac.com/dsample/>