disclaimer: all belongs to WB and great Amy Sherman-Palladino.
summary: Rory has to deal with an unwanted assignment as election campaign reporter. Political prodigy Tristan with the hardships of a Senate race. And both with each other.
hi, English isn't my first language. I had it in school for quite a long time, but sadly enough I neglected it nonexcusable over the last years. So please tell me if my grammar is hideous, the story too stiff - in a word if reading is painful. :)
genre: basically it's a lovestory with some of the invitable angst in it, but since GGs sense of humour was the one thing that made me addicted to it: it's fun too - at least I tried, cause I came to the conclusion that writing in a foreign language isn't excactly a thing supportive to wit.
The stuff concerning the Senate elections I looked up in the internet. Hopefully I find time to read a book on the American political system in order not to make a complete fool out of me.
enough excuses - hope you enjoy it!
p.s.: „.." are the european signs for direct speach. '...' are the characters thoughts - hope it's not too confusing.
„Rory. Could it be that some roommate of mine surreptiously sneaked out in the middle of the night, bribed the newspaper guy, kidnapped the Times the third day in a row and deliberately crushed my morning routine - again?"
„Good morning to you too, Paris" Rory crossed the kitchen of their appartment, poured herself a cup of coffee, sat down next to her friend and delved her head into her hands.
„You look like crap"
„Well thanks"
„It could spare us a lot of interpersonal hardship if you would finally admit your passion for Le Figaro and leave the Times alone. Living in denial is unhealthy, you know."
„Who am I to dissent the expert."
„Don't dare to distract from the point, Missy"
„You know what the point is? I don't need the Figaro which kind of unsettles me, which kind of make me go crazy during ungodly hours, which deprives me of my well deserved sleep, which forces me to read the society columns of the Times."
„It's pretty disturbing that every time I have the impression that I got a comprehensive picture of your peculiarities, you manage to become even more whimsical. What are you talking about?"
„How often did they send me to Europe last year?"
„Spain in December - I personally didn't like that piece you wrote there, too many numbers." Paris looked as if she was totally wrapped up in a chain of thoughts. „Don't get me wrong. I appreciate numbers. Exact sciences - the pillar of perception. I always had been a Descartes-kind of girl. Not an easy fate though, especially when you are 18 and not only supposed to polish your fingernails pink, but to be all into Sartre too. God I hated this guy."
„It may be hard for you to accept, but there is as realm of reality. The cosy place where normal people tend to live, Gellar." Rory took a sip from the mug before clicking her fingers in front of Paris nose.
„Thank god you never contemplated to be a shrink. Anyhow. Great Britain in April, the G8 conference May - where had that been? Malmoe? Lausanne? Some creepy little town. And wait ... Milano five weeks ago." Triumph was written in her face.
„Gosh. Considering the fact that this was a rhetoric question you did pretty well. But Italy was my birthday present from grandma and Great Britain I did on my own to do some research for the PhD, which leaves two trips in 10 months. I might be their foreign correspondent but somehow they decided that being actually in a foreign country is a negligible variable in the whole concept."
„All the more you depend on the written word. Stop whining and read some French. It'll do you good."
„Thank god you never contemplated to be a shrink." Rory grinned and shoved a slice of Sookies carrot-cake into the toaster.
„Did you know that Marianna Elija-Gutenberg-Hearst got finally divorced from Mr. Hearst, husband number four in order to make her secret affection with Panshee Singh - member of the Bollywood Olympus - finally public? Engagement party is on the 21st, at Astoria's, evening gown recommended. Bless the Times, medium of public education."
„Knew that" Paris uttered. „My mother and Miss Singh to-be share a pilati instructor" she added, answering Rory's dumbfounded glance.
---------------
The bureau of the Conneticut Examiner was an old depository warehouse adapted for its porpose by the combined efforts of a young team of fancy architects and the new owner Mr. VanDelfts generous capital expenditures. Rory had liked it better before the big reinvention, the way it had looked when she had applied for temporary help while she was still in Yale. Scruffy filing cabinets, a few old Macintoshs probably worth a sum at least in the eyes of some nostalgic computer geeks, tons of paperwork on the desks. They even had an fan flipping slowly during the summer months. It was the ideal version of a young reporters dream-place to be. Now it was Zara Hadid all over.
„He's in his office. Arrived one hour ago. Seen Mendez, Davenport and Guiliati so far. None of them looked especially happy after it, but on the other hand, none of them had the ‚suicide-is-an-option' grimace written in the face. I think he has a good day."
„Thanks Lucy. Ever considered to be a shrink?" Rory took the mail the young secretary handed her. „I'll see what he is up to. Wish me luck."
„What a glorious occurrence. Not even 10 o'clock and Miss Foreign affairs decided to show up. You really go for the Pulitzer, aren't you? Come in." Morty Sellinger waved her to his desk.
„Take a seat. Take some tea. Take some whiskey. You won't get coffee within these holy walls as long as I live. Coffee makes every decent reporter forget the names of their sources, use far too many adjectives and loose the focus of the story." she knew his words by heart and always moved her lips silently to them.
„Do you do your sermon with this utter accuracy because it gives you the flair of some prophet, stepped out of the Old Testament to lead a newspaper?"
„As much as I love this little editor-writer chit-chat in which we are entangled, there are things to do. I have a story for you. No, let me rephrase it. I have a mission modelled for only one purpose - to fit your extraordinary abilities."
That was not good. Despite the forenoon sun shining through the Venetian blinds Rory was tempted to fill her glass with the brown liquid on the silvery tray Morty had pushed near her position. Every time he sounded like a generous grandfather something really bad was to come.
„In spite of the fact that your mind is constantly occupied to roam somewhere abroad it couldn't escaped your attention that Senate elections for 23 states are at hand, one of them being Connecticut. The executive board of the Examiner decided on extensive coverage. Let's face the fact - politics lost all the sex JFK had so painstrikingly struggled to establish as a surplus that comes with it. Voter turnouts are constantly low, people are more interested in J.Lo's sign than in the future of their health care system."
„The day you turned into the consciousness of the nation appears to have escaped my notice. I should really come here more often. It's not common that a girl can witness conversions from the front row, especially in times like these. May I call you Paulus, Saulus?"
„Hold it. Can't an old man contemplate ethics here and there? Anyway. MacMahon tours the country with his cavalry. And we're gonna join him. He decided to run for Senate just 4 month ago, so he's kind of an unwritten story. Mystery man coming up to mess with the old political establishment. The Examiner is going to be on the streets with him. Behind the curtain-stuff basically. Bringing excitement back to politics."
„And how do I fit in this pretty little picture? Mendez does the internal affairs. He knows every press spokesman in this damn state, he has his spooky bureaucrats in every office who tip him with information. Myself on the other hand can easily recall 300 years of Dutch history, name 12 of the 14 accredited parties in former Yugoslavia, but I'm the wrong person for pathetic little articles about Mister MacMahons heart melting visit in the children's surgical ward of St. Anne's."
„Mendez wife is pregnant, her due date is in two weeks. He can't go on a three months trail through Connecticut."
„A three month trail through Connecticut?" Rorys voice was on the brink of shouting.
„That's not the Iraq war. You don't need an embedded reporter on the spot to come up with a few 2000 word pieces."
„Kiddo, let me expound the whole scope of this engagement. We are talking about a column every second day. Front page. Black and white photograph of your pretty face. When the elections are over I doubt that anybody from Heartfort to Bridgeport wouldn't be able to recognise you on the streets."
„What a pleasant vision. You the hell know how to underline your endeavour to persuade me. I propose you stay quiet or I'm out." She was mocking, but he saw her senses rise. She already gave his proposal a second thought.
Morty leaned back and folded his arms behind his head. He knew he got her. She was an ambitious young lady and if it took her to accept this job to prove the world that she has very special skills she'll do it. Morty regarded her as the raw diamond he had discovered. She was 25 years old, but yet one of his best employees. It never crossed his mind that Rory wouldn't be able to deliver great articles no matter what the topic was. He knew if she took his offer she'll be gone in 4 months. The really big fishes will stand in a row to poach her.
„I'm in."
„What a surprise. Lucy has some files for you to read and a meeting with Catherine Drewden, MacMahons press lady, is settled for you in 30 minutes. You better hurry."
„Morty?" Rory nervously chewed on her bottom lip.
„No chance, you don't get a salary increase."
„Did you asked me because Davenport and Guiliati refused?" she spilled out. Sometimes he wondered how someone so innocent could write so profoundly.
„You were the first on the line" he replied truthfully.
Rory bended forward, poured herself reluctantly some tea and upraised the steaming cup.
„Let's hope I don't regret it."
„You won't, kiddo. You won't."