Chapter 3
*** September 17 2001, 9 am ***
Although Perry had been aware of their arrival the moment that Clark and Lois had stepped out of the elevator, he did not storm into the bullpen bellowing their names as he usually did. Rather, he waited in his office, giving all appearances of concentrating on the layout of the next edition of the paper. When Clark and Lois entered the room, he did not look up, but merely said, "I will see Kent on my own, Lois. Shut the door on your way out."
"Now wait a minute, Perry," retorted Lois with some heat, "Clark and I are a team..."
"Not on this occasion, Lois." Perry held up his hand to forestall further argument. "This issue is between an employee of the Daily Planet and myself, as Editor in Chief. I realize that you want to support your husband, but this is a professional issue, not a marital one. If you have comments as an employee of this paper and not as Mrs Clark Kent, I will discuss them with you later." He moved to show her out.
Lois was furious. She could not believe Perry was acting this way. Sure he was their boss, but he was also their friend! She adjusted her stance and was ready to let fly.
"Please, Lois." Clark took her hand and placed a finger on her lips. "For me."
Lois took a shuddering breath and gritted her teeth. She was still angry but would, on this one occasion, support her husband's wishes. That did not mean that she agreed with him. If she didn't like the outcome of this meeting, then watch out world: Mad Dog Lane would let rip!
"Only for you, Clark," she said grudgingly. With a quelling glare at Perry, she strode out, slamming the door. As the glass shuddered in its frame, her voice could be heard addressing the newsroom. "Well, don't you people have stories to write?!"
The two men looked at each other in silence. Clark knew that Perry was torn between the responsibilities of their friendship and the positions of relative authority that they held at the Planet. Perry's reaction was so atypical that it was a clear barometer of his hurt and anger with an employee whom he had always treated like a surrogate son.
Perry sat down behind his desk once more. He made no effort to offer Clark a seat and Clark made no attempt to take one. He would stand and face this head on.
"Well, Kent. I presume you have some cockamamie excuse for your absence during the biggest story ever? One that involves a reason why, given the numerous affordable and effective means of electronic communication currently available, you were unable to let either myself or your colleagues know where you have been during the last week?" Perry drawled deceptively.
"No, sir. I don't," was the reply.
"You *don't* ...? Just where in Sam Hill have you been the last five days? Can you tell me why you are even in the States, given that you are supposed to be in the tropics of Australia?"
"Sir, I have been at Ground Zero, helping. How I got there is irrelevant. Being there was what was important."
"More important that doing your job?! Son, in case you have forgotten what it says on your paycheck, you are a reporter. You are employed by this paper to report the news - not get involved in it. You go where I assign you and you report the news I request you to." Perry's hold on his temper was beginning to fray.
"I could not stand by and not help..."
"God dammit, Kent! Who do you think you *are*?! The place was swarming with people whose job it is to help - firefighters, paramedics, and construction workers - people who are trained for these situations, people whose job it is undertake that work. *Your* job, Kent, when you choose to remember it, is to report on their efforts." Perry attempted to reign in his temper.
"Hell, son! We all wanted to help. How could we not? But each of us has a different role to play. The workers on Ground Zero have their responsibilities; but as newsmen, we do, too." Perry rose from his chair and started to pace. "When something like this happens, it terrifies people; they look to us for information. They rely on our calm reporting of events so that they can feel some semblance of control in the middle of the chaos. *That* is our job and our duty. Which, I might add, you are paid very well to do."
Clark opened his mouth to speak but Perry gave him no chance to do so. He stood in front of Clark and regarded him sternly.
"Clark, I've made allowances for your lame excuses and many absences in the past because you're such a good writer, but this time.... I am your editor and your boss. I have a responsibility to the Planet and its owners. You really let the side down. Can you give me one good reason why I should not hand you your marching orders?" He looked at Clark expectantly.
Clark squared his shoulders and looked Perry in the eye.
"You are quite right, Mr White. I *do* have a responsibility to the planet. I had my reasons for what I did, and I would do it again if necessary. But I do know that I let you down and did not satisfy my employment contract."
Clark reached into his coat pocket.
"Sir, I want to thank you for your patience with me and your friendship. With that in mind, I hope you will accept my resignation." With that Clark handed an envelope to Perry and left the room.
As Clark moved towards his desk, he replayed the events of the last few hours over in his mind.
*** September 17 2001, 9 am ***
Although Perry had been aware of their arrival the moment that Clark and Lois had stepped out of the elevator, he did not storm into the bullpen bellowing their names as he usually did. Rather, he waited in his office, giving all appearances of concentrating on the layout of the next edition of the paper. When Clark and Lois entered the room, he did not look up, but merely said, "I will see Kent on my own, Lois. Shut the door on your way out."
"Now wait a minute, Perry," retorted Lois with some heat, "Clark and I are a team..."
"Not on this occasion, Lois." Perry held up his hand to forestall further argument. "This issue is between an employee of the Daily Planet and myself, as Editor in Chief. I realize that you want to support your husband, but this is a professional issue, not a marital one. If you have comments as an employee of this paper and not as Mrs Clark Kent, I will discuss them with you later." He moved to show her out.
Lois was furious. She could not believe Perry was acting this way. Sure he was their boss, but he was also their friend! She adjusted her stance and was ready to let fly.
"Please, Lois." Clark took her hand and placed a finger on her lips. "For me."
Lois took a shuddering breath and gritted her teeth. She was still angry but would, on this one occasion, support her husband's wishes. That did not mean that she agreed with him. If she didn't like the outcome of this meeting, then watch out world: Mad Dog Lane would let rip!
"Only for you, Clark," she said grudgingly. With a quelling glare at Perry, she strode out, slamming the door. As the glass shuddered in its frame, her voice could be heard addressing the newsroom. "Well, don't you people have stories to write?!"
The two men looked at each other in silence. Clark knew that Perry was torn between the responsibilities of their friendship and the positions of relative authority that they held at the Planet. Perry's reaction was so atypical that it was a clear barometer of his hurt and anger with an employee whom he had always treated like a surrogate son.
Perry sat down behind his desk once more. He made no effort to offer Clark a seat and Clark made no attempt to take one. He would stand and face this head on.
"Well, Kent. I presume you have some cockamamie excuse for your absence during the biggest story ever? One that involves a reason why, given the numerous affordable and effective means of electronic communication currently available, you were unable to let either myself or your colleagues know where you have been during the last week?" Perry drawled deceptively.
"No, sir. I don't," was the reply.
"You *don't* ...? Just where in Sam Hill have you been the last five days? Can you tell me why you are even in the States, given that you are supposed to be in the tropics of Australia?"
"Sir, I have been at Ground Zero, helping. How I got there is irrelevant. Being there was what was important."
"More important that doing your job?! Son, in case you have forgotten what it says on your paycheck, you are a reporter. You are employed by this paper to report the news - not get involved in it. You go where I assign you and you report the news I request you to." Perry's hold on his temper was beginning to fray.
"I could not stand by and not help..."
"God dammit, Kent! Who do you think you *are*?! The place was swarming with people whose job it is to help - firefighters, paramedics, and construction workers - people who are trained for these situations, people whose job it is undertake that work. *Your* job, Kent, when you choose to remember it, is to report on their efforts." Perry attempted to reign in his temper.
"Hell, son! We all wanted to help. How could we not? But each of us has a different role to play. The workers on Ground Zero have their responsibilities; but as newsmen, we do, too." Perry rose from his chair and started to pace. "When something like this happens, it terrifies people; they look to us for information. They rely on our calm reporting of events so that they can feel some semblance of control in the middle of the chaos. *That* is our job and our duty. Which, I might add, you are paid very well to do."
Clark opened his mouth to speak but Perry gave him no chance to do so. He stood in front of Clark and regarded him sternly.
"Clark, I've made allowances for your lame excuses and many absences in the past because you're such a good writer, but this time.... I am your editor and your boss. I have a responsibility to the Planet and its owners. You really let the side down. Can you give me one good reason why I should not hand you your marching orders?" He looked at Clark expectantly.
Clark squared his shoulders and looked Perry in the eye.
"You are quite right, Mr White. I *do* have a responsibility to the planet. I had my reasons for what I did, and I would do it again if necessary. But I do know that I let you down and did not satisfy my employment contract."
Clark reached into his coat pocket.
"Sir, I want to thank you for your patience with me and your friendship. With that in mind, I hope you will accept my resignation." With that Clark handed an envelope to Perry and left the room.
As Clark moved towards his desk, he replayed the events of the last few hours over in his mind.