J is for Jerusalem Artichoke

Soup (CJ / Jed)

The day wasn't going quite as CJ would have liked. The rabble were rousing, and now, as she was facing something of a lowlight of her political career, things had got just that little bit worse.

"Can I speak to your privately Leo?" she asked, hopefully, hoping that the President who just happened to be in Leo's office when she'd stopped by would take the hint and take himself back off to The Oval Office.

No such luck.

"You have secrets with Leo? Are the two of you planning a coup?"

Behind the President's back Leo rolled his eyes at her but did nothing to get rid of him, instead encouraging her to share what she'd come to say.

She groaned inwardly, cursing the world, "There's a problem. I'm getting questions."

The President's eyes narrowed, "About what?"

She glanced down at her notepad, anything to avoid looking him in the eye, "The dinner tomorrow night. The Israeli Ambassador is due to attend."

"Go on." The President again. Leo was being demonstrably silent and doing nothing to save her. She took a deep breath,

"We're serving Jerusalem Artichoke soup." She allowed herself the smallest peek at Leo who predictably was grinning, clearly aware of where she was headed. Unlike the President who was apparently suddenly displaying an unusual level of ignorance. "And some of the press are having a problem with the symbolism."

"The symbolism?" She saw a sudden flash in the President's eyes as the pieces fell into place, "The press have a problem with the symbolism of the soup. They do realise that Jerusalem itself isn't in the soup don't they Claudia Jean?"

She sighed. Bad to worse. "Yes Sir, I think they are aware of that."

"And do they realise that Jerusalem Artichokes don't even come from Jerusalem?"

She nodded, "I suspect they do Sir. They may too be aware, as I am, that they are not even artichokes. However the fact of the matter is they have an issue with the Israeli Ambassador being served up Jerusalem Artichoke Soup in The White House, and I suspect the Palestinians won't be crazy about the symbolism either."

"It's a root vegetable Claudia Jean." he was off on one now, she'd seen this before, "You really think the Middle East is going to go to war over a root vegetable?" There was a silence as both she and Leo allowed him to contemplate his own question, and then, seconds later he sighed, shaking his head,

"OK. Fine. Lets not tempt fate by finding out." he looked at Leo, "Who do we have to speak to round here to get the soup replaced with a nice shrimp cocktail or something?"

CJ smiled, a smile of serious relief, "Leave it with me Mr President, I'll arrange it with the kitchen myself."