Local Lit

“I had to do something. I’ve never seen you hold out this long before. You guys have been dating for three months.”

“I’m growing up,” Dan said. “No more one night stands. I’ve been looking for love, and I think I found it.”
On the short ride to Union Station, Paul gave Dan pointers for dealing with Reynolds. “Laugh at his jokes. Don’t interrupt him; no matter how long he drones on, and believe me, the guy can talk. He loves name-dropping, especially telling stories from his glory days in the civil rights movement. Some of them are interesting, it’s just that he can lose track of time and if you don’t get to business right away he sometimes has to run off to a meeting and he leaves before you ever have a chance to discuss why you
came. Also, bring him a mocha. He loves them, but he’s too cheap to buy them for himself. His staff is always buying them for him. You’ll score major brownie points with a mocha.”

“Should I bring one for Parker, too?” Dan asked.

“Parker drinks straight shots of espresso. I’ve seen him order triples. Since we’re bringing coffee you should definitely bring one for him, too.”

“What do you think of Parker?” Dan asked.

“I think he’s an asshole, but he’s our asshole. You’ve got to learn to deal with him. He’ll only pay attention if you have power over him or if you have something he wants. Going to Reynolds over his head will piss him off, but he’ll also respect you for it.”

Dan hated Starbucks and would have preferred to patronize the independent coffee shop on Pennsylvania Avenue, but that would have required walking three blocks out of their way and then getting through security with four cups of coffee. He begrudgingly paid for the coffee reassuring himself with the fact that he could claim it as a business expense on his taxes. He decided against ordering the chocolate croissant in the pastry container now that there was someone in his life who would see him naked.

Reynolds’s receptionist had not yet arrived, so there was no one in the outer office to greet them. Hearing voices from the Congressman’s private office Paul walked in without waiting for an invitation.

“Paul, my friend. It’s so good to see you,” the Congressman said, rising and giving Paul an amiable hug. Dan stayed a little behind.

Paul said, “You know my good friend, Dan Canavan?” Dan shook the Congressman’s hand.

“Of course I know Dan. Nice to see you again.” The Congressman’s pinstriped suit was immaculately pressed with his Member of Congress insignia pinned onto his right lapel. His thinning black hair was slicked back with oil, covering the bald spot. His moustache appeared to be a little crooked, but maybe Dan just imagined that. While Paul and Reynolds caught each other up, Dan looked around the room. The walls documented the history of the civil rights movement, with photographs of the Congressman with such luminaries as Rosa Parks, Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Jesse Jackson when he was a very young man. A photograph of Reynolds with a much younger woman and a small child rested on a large oak desk.

Parker arrived looking like he had stepped out of Gentleman’s Quarterly. Paul gave him a warm handshake. An outside observer would never have guessed that Paul disliked him. Paul handed him a coffee. “Dan brought you a triple shot.”

“Just had one,” Parker said, declining the overture.

“You better have another one,” the Congressman teased him. “It’s going to be another long day.” He spoke to Dan. “We were here until 2 AM this morning working on the bankruptcy bill.”

“I’ll save it for later.” Parker said, reluctantly taking the cup. “Thank you,” he added as an afterthought.

They had planned for Paul to do the talking and he wasted no time launching into the details of Dan’s conversation with Weymouth. The Congressman appeared to be listening, as he nodded occasionally, in between examining his cuticles and gulping the mocha. Parker sat to the right of the Congressman’s imposing desk, crossing and uncrossing his legs, gazing off into space. Paul finished his remarks and turned to Dan.

“Sir, the Democrats can kill this bill in Committee if you hold firm and vote against it as a caucus.” Reynolds did not ask Dan how he had convinced the Congressman to abstain from taking the vote. Dan thought it odd that the Congressman didn’t ask him how he had gotten to the Congressman.

Reynolds surprised Dan with his reply. “We definitely should whip this. Gay rights are the major civil rights issues of our day.” Reynolds noticed Parker shaking his head and said, “But I better ask my advisor what he thinks.” He looked at Paul, then Dan, “I tend to go out on a limb, and this guy here,” he pointed to Parker, “his job is to make sure the limb doesn’t break on me.”

Parker kept shaking his head back and forth robotically. “Congressman, with all due respect, to our friends here, we simply can’t ask our Bible belt members to vote against this. We’ve got several vulnerable seats. A vote against this bill could lose those seats to the Republicans.” He looked at Paul and Dan. “We’ve got to look at the big picture. We’ve got to take back the House.” He gestured towards Reynolds, “We’ve got to make this man Chairman so we can make progress on these issues.”

Dan had heard the argument so many times he knew it by heart. The Democrats moved to the right to keep their seats in an elusive bid to take back power. It seemed to Dan that the further to the right they moved, the more power they lost.

“You’ve got a point,” Reynolds said. “Bartlett and Perry are both in tough districts.”

“Sir,” Dan said, trying to keep a lid on his temper. “How can we ever make progress on these issues if people like you don’t take a stand and do the right thing? If the Democrats of today had been around in the fifties, we’d still have Jim Crow laws in most states.”

Reynolds nodded and scrunched up his face. “You’re probably right,” he admitted.

It was obvious that Reynolds would not make a decision contrary to Parker’s advice. Dan decided that the meeting had been a waste of time. Parker leaned back in his seat, preparing to launch into another of his diatribes. “It’s one thing to take a principled position when you’re in a safe district, it’s another thing all together if you’re going to lose your reelection bid and lose the seat for your party. That’s downright irresponsible,” Parker declared, flicking his hair back with his hand.

Reynolds stood up and put his hands on his desk. “Look, it’s all academic anyway. I can whip this issue all I want but people are still going to vote how they’re going to vote.”

Dan couldn’t help himself. Trying his best to remain respectful, he said, “With all due respect Congressman you know the score. You know how to make them pay if you want to. You can refuse to bring up their bills for the rest of the session. The question is whether you’re going to pull out all the stops on this issue or not.”

Parker opened his mouth to say something, but the Congressman said. “I could ask them to take a walk. Would that help?”

“We need them to vote no just to get a tie,” Dan said. “With Weymouth walking and Davidson voting against it we need all the Democrats to vote against it for it to tie. If they walk, it passes 18-16.”
Parker piped in, “They can’t walk. Too many people will be watching the vote. The Christian Right will score it. Anyone who doesn’t vote for the measure will get a black mark on their report card.”

“OutReach will score it, too,” Dan said.

Parker rolled his eyes. “Somehow I don’t think they’re too worried about that.”

“Maybe they should be,” Dan tried to sound threatening, but his words rang hollow.

Dan looked at Paul who stepped in to help him, “Congressman, as a matter of principle you should whip this vote. Let the chips fall where they may, but at least you’ll know that you did the right thing.”
Reynolds nodded again. “That sounds right.”
Dan stood up, anxious to leave the office before he said something he regretted.

“We’ve taken enough of your time,” he said, extending his hand to the Congressman. “Thank you so much.” He gritted his teeth and reluctantly offered his hand to Parker. “Thank you for your time,” he said insincerely. Washington lobbyists, like members of Congress, learned the art of saying one thing while meaning another.

Dan and Paul left the office and didn’t say anything until they were safely on the elevator. “That was a waste of time,” Dan said. “I’d rather deal with Weymouth than Parker. Reynolds is okay, but Parker is a pompous SOB.”

Paul sighed. “Nothing is a waste of time. You never know what effect you’ve had.”

Dan impulsively pushed the second-floor button, “Let’s go see Weymouth. Maybe he knows some other Republicans that could take a walk.”

"I should get going to the restaurant,” Paul said.

“It’ll just take a few minutes, come on,” Dan pleaded. Dan knew Paul missed the excitement of the Hill, if not the frustrations and disappointments. He wouldn’t miss an opportunity to meet with the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

“Maybe it would be better if I didn’t go. He might feel uncomfortable with someone else around.” Dan considered that, but discounted it. “He knows you from before, right? He probably misses you and would like to see you again.”

“Do you really think you can drop in on him without an appointment? Paul asked.

“If he won’t see me, what’s the big deal?” Dan said philosophically. “We’re already here. It’s not like it’s out of the way or anything.”

It was not quite 8:30 when they walked into Weymouth’s office. Dan’s adrenaline was pumping and the caffeine was kicking in. He thought about the night before and a wave of happiness washed over him. Love made him optimistic, and perhaps a bit reckless.

No one was at the receptionist desk, so he strode confidently to the open door of the Congressman’s office and knocked. Weymouth looked up from his reading. He looked taken aback, not expecting anyone to disrupt his few minutes of morning solitude.

“You’re back,” he said simply, making no effort to rise or shake their hands.

“Yes, Congressman, like a bad penny. You remember Paul Petrovich?”

“Hello, Paul,” the Congressman said formally, continuing to stay seated. “It’s nice to see you again,” he said, without warmth.

Dan was beginning to think he had made a big mistake, but decided there was nothing to do but plunge ahead. “Can we have one minute of your time? I promise we’ll be brief,” Dan asked.
Before waiting for Weymouth to say no, Dan sat down on the couch where he had been just a week earlier, surprised at how easily he was making himself at home.

“Please, have a seat,” Weymouth said, motioning to Paul. “Your friend has.”

Dan’s face reddened slightly, but he didn’t acknowledge the remark. “We just came from a meeting with Reynolds and his lackey, Parker.” Weymouth raised his eyebrows at this. “I don’t think they’re going to whip it. At least Reynolds isn’t going to put pressure on his members to oppose it.”
“I’m not surprised,” Weymouth said, “It’s a tough vote for southerners to take.”

“There are only two Democrats likely to vote for the bill. Reynolds thought he might be able to talk them into taking a walk. That still leaves us with an 18-to-16 vote and we lose. I got to thinking; maybe there are some other Republicans that would take a walk. Especially if you tell them that you’re going to walk. What do you think? Is there anyone else you could talk into not voting?”

Weymouth sighed deeply. “You’re expecting me to muscle my caucus when you can’t get Reynolds to pressure the Democrats?” He shook his head. “You’re crazy.”

Paul interrupted. “Surely you can convince some of the ‘limited federal government’ types that they should stay out of these family issues.” Weymouth drummed his fingers on his desk. Dan couldn’t tell if he was concentrating deeply or just irritated. He pushed back in his seat.

“You’re asking a lot. You know the Christian right groups will score this, and whoever takes a walk will be consider it to be the equivalent of a no vote.
Dan was feeling antsy. “But the voters don’t think of it the same way. If the member has a good reason why he wasn’t at the hearing, the voters won’t hold it against him.”

Weymouth looked down at the stack of papers on his desk. “I need to get back to work.” Softening slightly, he said to Dan, “I’ll think about it.”

“Thank you, Congressman,” Dan said, reaching across the desk to shake his reluctant hand. Dan noticed a trace of a smile on Weymouth’s handsome face. Dan had a fleeting moment wondering what Weymouth would be like in bed, but then reminded himself that he was in love.

Once again they waited until they were safely on the elevators to debrief. “You were ballsy,” Paul said. Dan couldn’t tell if Paul was impressed or appalled. He decided to take it as a compliment.

“Thank you,” Dan said. “I feel fueled by moral outrage.” Paul didn’t say anything.

“I’d say your next step is to try to get to the Democrats. I’d meet with your two no votes and tell them that Reynolds told you it was a very important caucus issue, which is true. Give them the impression that Reynolds is going to whip the issue and ask them to either vote against the bill or to take a walk.”

“But they’ll call Parker,” Dan said, “who will tell them that Reynolds is not going to whip the issue.”

“Maybe, maybe not. Those two don’t like Parker any more than you do, and would not be likely to seek his opinion.”

“It’s worth a shot. Maybe I’ll drop by their offices now.”

“I definitely can’t stick around. I gotta go cook lunch,” Paul said.

“Thanks,” Dan said. “I owe you one.”

“By my count you owe me more than one,” Paul said walking towards the exit.