Author's Notes: Chapter two of my untitled little story…. Umm… I've given Sam his doctorate in a year and a half (it could happen!), and there's a bit that I'll comment on at the end.
Sam Seaborn looked at his watch. 12:40. Standing up from his desk, he looked around is office. He looked around his desk, he looked in his briefcase, and he patted his pockets.
"Andrea?" he raised his voice, wanting to catch the attention of the administrative assistant who worked in the law department at the University of California, Los Angeles.
"Yes, Dr. Seaborn?" Sam could hear the clicking of her keyboard at her computer. He went to the doorway of his office.
"Glasses?" he questioned.
Andrea looked up at Sam and gave him and amused sort of smile. "You're still wearing them, Dr. Seaborn."
"Oh." Sam paused, feeling sheepish. "Right then." He turned back to the interior of his office and hit his shoulder on the doorframe on the way back in. "Ow."
"You alright, Dr. Seaborn?" came Andrea's voice again.
"Yup. I'm fine." He answered. Going back to his desk, Sam placed a few notes and a book in his open briefcase, closed it, and carried it out with him. "Gonna go to class now, Andrea."
"Alright." She was still typing.
Sam made it to the door of the Law Department office, and then turned back until he was standing in front of Andrea's desk. She didn't acknowledge him. "You can call me Sam, you know."
Andrea stopped typing and turned to face him, but her hands remained on the keyboard. "Yes. I know." She answered.
"Okay." Sam replied.
Andrea went back to typing, but Sam remained.
"We don't chat much, Andrea." He persisted.
She stopped typing again, this time turning completely toward Sam, folding her hands in front of her, and resting them on the desk, leaning on her elbows. "No." She smiled politely.
"You work here, I work here." Sam stated. "I like to get to know the people I work with. I'm very friendly; people like me. There's no reason we shouldn't be able to chat."
"Of course not, Dr. Seaborn." Andrea was still smiling.
Sam nodded his approval. "Good then. I'm going to go to class now, and I would like to let it be known that I know you are humoring me, but I'm really okay with that. What's more, I appreciate it."
"Have a good class, Dr. Seaborn." She turned and went back to typing.
"Thank you, Andrea. I will. And you have a good time working." Sam turned and walked toward the door once again. He stopped a second time, and turned back toward the assistant's desk. "Really, very friendly. Amiable, even."
"Yes, Dr. Seaborn." She replied.
"Okay." Sam paused a beat, and then turned back to the door. "See you later, Andrea." He called over his shoulder.
"Good-bye, Dr. Seaborn." Andrea's voice was imposed over the clicking.
Sam stepped out into the sunshine and headed off to his 12:45 class, smiling and calling out greetings to various students he knew. When he reached his room, he opened the door and saw everyone in their seats.
"I'm late again?" he questioned.
"Only by a couple minutes." Replied one of the girls, named Sarah, in the front row.
Sam plopped his briefcase on the table that was in the front of the room, and opened it, pulling out a yellow legal pad and a textbook. "Well, let's get started then." He flipped a through the book until he found what he was looking for. "Okay… we're still looking at Governmental Control of the Content of Expression… someone talk to me about prior restraint and Near v. Minnesota." Sam looked up at the students, seeing who had their hands raised. "David."
"Dr. Seaborn, I would really like to talk about unprotected defamation, but can you give us a White House story first?" the kid smiled benignly.
"Tomorrow." Sam answered. "We gotta get through this. What made this particular injunction-"
"Can't we do it now?" David interrupted.
"No."
"Why not?"
"You'd have no reason to see me tomorrow." Sam replied, grinning. "Now, back to Near v. Minnesota; who can tell me, is it improper to enjoin future publication of-"
"Dr. Seaborn, I can give 'em a White House story." Came a familiar voice from the back of the classroom.
Sam looked up quickly, recognizing the voice. "Josh?" His face broke into a wide grin that was covered with astonishment. "Hey!" Josh came to the front of the room. The two men hugged briefly before Sam introduced him to the class. "Everyone, this is the Josh Lyman." Sam turned back to his friend. "I've already told them all your stories."
Josh smiled mischievously. "Have you told them about celestial navigation?"
Sam had a momentary look of horror. "No – I haven't told them about a secret plan to fight inflation either." He finished with a smile.
Josh buckled down, ready for a battle of wills. "Eliminating the penny?"
"Foul weather gear." Sam was up for the task.
"Krygystan?"
"Stamps?"
"Dental Hygiene."
"Delicate System."
"America is stranger?"
"Lemonlyman.com." Sam finished with a flourish.
"Damn." Josh sighed, defeated.
Sam smiled at his victory. "Alright. We've got – Drew, what time are we done?" he asked one of his students.
"Uh, 1:40." Drew answered.
"We've got 45 minutes." Sam told Josh. "You pick one."
Josh smiled. "Stackhouse?"
Josh began animatedly telling the story, starting with an explanation of the children's healthcare bill. The students were captivated from the first words, and Sam watched with amusement, interjecting bits every little while. Partway through, Josh stopped.
"Is this where you got schooled by the thirteen-year-old-" he questioned.
"No, that was after the fruit, and she wasn't thirteen, she was nineteen. She was really very crafty." Sam defended.
"Right." Josh smirked and, his memory refreshed, jumped right back into the story. "So, Sam's in my office shopping for fruit-"
"Looking for a good piece of fruit." Sam corrected.
"That's what I said."
The two friends continued the story, Josh being sure to give every detail of Winnie the GAO intern, and Sam being equally sure that all his students knew that Josh's mother periodically sent him new shoes.
"So, since the print deadline was already blown anyway, we went back and re-worked the bill." Josh finished.
Sam looked up at the clock. "Hey, we've kept you guys five minutes over." He paused, looking back to the forgotten notepad. "Uh, alright, we'll pick back up with prior restraint and Near v. Minnesota on Friday. Don't forget your Interpretive Methods assignment is coming up in a week or so." Sam ended as the students gathered up their bags and books. Most shuffled toward the door, while a few lagged behind, wanting to introduce themselves and talk for a few moments. After awhile they all cleared out and Sam began packing up his briefcase.
"You wanna go grab something to eat?" he asked, removing his glasses placing them in his shirt pocket. "I've got a break between classes."
"Yeah. Sounds great." Josh answered, picking up his coat, which he had tossed over a chair. "Dr. Seaborn, huh?"
Sam smiled modestly. "Yeah. Just got it, like, two weeks ago."
Josh put his hands on his hips and waited for Sam to finish. "How's Gracie doin?"
Sam picked up his briefcase and the two friends left the classroom. "Good. She's still doing the freelance thing. She's enjoying it."
"And Nate?" Josh followed Sam across a courtyard, watching as he continued the conversation while giving head nods and directing smiles at many of the students.
"He's getting big. He's two now. Talking a lot." Sam beamed, every bit the proud father. "You wanna come for dinner tonight? Say hi?"
"No, I can't, thanks. I'm actually flying out tonight." Josh regretted the fact that he hadn't planned his hop out to California a little better by running it through Donna first. "Gotta get back to Washington."
"Oh." Sam's countenance displayed his disappointment, but he quickly changed subjects. "Well, I'm just gonna stop by my office, drop this stuff off. You can meet Andrea. She doesn't like me." He told Josh. "So, what are you doing here?"
"I wanna run something by you." Josh answered, then paused. "Wait, who's Andrea, and why doesn't she like you?"
"She works in the office." Sam replied nonchalantly as they reached the law department. "She doesn't think I'm friendly."
"Ah-kay." Josh replied, walking through the door that Sam had opened for him.
"What is it you wanted to run by me?" Sam asked again, but then interrupted himself, "Oh, wait - hey Andrea." He stopped in front of her desk, as did Josh.
"Hi, Dr. Seaborn." She was still typing. Sam wondered to himself if she was ever not typing. "Did you have a good class?"
"Yes. As a matter of fact I did." Sam pasted on the broadest, warmest smile he could muster. "Andrea, this is my friend, Josh Lyman." He waited for her to acknowledge them. She kept typing. "He works for the President of the United States."
Andrea finished up a line, and then turned to the stranger. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Lyman."
Josh smiled. "Good to meet you, Andrea."
"Alright." Sam kept smiling; Josh could tell he was unnerved, though he didn't understand why the younger man thought Andrea didn't like him. "We're going to go into my office now."
"Okay." The assistant went back to her typing.
"Great." Sam clipped the word and turned to his office. When both he and Josh had stepped inside and were safely out of earshot, "See what I mean?" he asked, setting his briefcase on his desk.
Josh shrugged. "She seemed friendly enough."
"She doesn't like to chat." Sam noted, as he straightened a few things on his already immaculate desk.
"Ah." Josh answered, walking around the room. He observed with great amusement that Sam's Navy Jack flag was up, as was his old Lakers pennant.
"Ginger and Bonnie used to chat." Sam reflected. "Donna used to chat."
"Donna still chats." Josh turned a White House coffee mug that sat on one of Sam's shelves in circles. "Incessantly."
"Yeah." Sam sighed; Josh detected a bit of sadness in his voice.
"So, where are we going?" Josh asked, setting the Newton's Cradle into action.
"Place called 'Headlines'. Good sandwiches." Sam smiled.
"'Headlines?'" Josh was a little skeptical, opening the office door and following Sam out.
"Yup." Sam answered. "Going out to lunch, Andrea." He called over his shoulder, then abruptly stopped and turned around, confusing Josh. He walked over to the assistant's desk until he was standing right in front of her. "We're going to 'Headlines.'" He told her. "Would you like anything? Pasta salad? A sandwich?" he offered.
"No, thank you, Dr. Seaborn." Andrea replied.
Sam looked crestfallen, but then grinned. "Okay… but I will not be defeated."
Josh chuckled as he stepped out the door after his friend.
Sam drove, since he knew the way, and led Josh deftly through the crowded restaurant once they arrived. They spent the majority of lunch catching up, and each found himself reliving old stories and not quite wanting the time to end.
Sam ate a last French fry and leaned back a little in his chair, pushing his plate away. "So, what did you want to run by me?"
Josh tossed his napkin onto his plate and took a deep breath. "I came to ask you if – how do I-" he was stumbling badly over his words; he hadn't planned this part out. "I came to ask – lemme put it this way -"
"I won't work for Hoynes." Sam anticipated.
"Wouldn't ask you to." Josh replied earnestly.
"He's listening to the wrong guys." Sam was brutally honest.
"Yeah." Josh turned his eyes down to his plate, and rested his elbows on the table, leaning forward. He looked up, locking his friend's gaze. "Look, Sam, what would you think about getting back in the game?" Josh held his breath.
"If not Hoynes, who's the candidate?" Sam questioned, taking a sip of water.
"You." Josh almost whispered it.
Sam's eyes widened, and then he smiled and set down his glass. "Come on-"
"Seriously, Sam." Josh grew excited, leaning further forward across the table. "Five years from now, I'm talking about the White House."
Sam realized that his long-time friend was serious. "I just got here Josh. I've only been teaching a year" he attempted to rationalize why he couldn't do it; why it wouldn't work. "Grace and Nate -" Sam paused, and his face broke out into a huge, but somewhat modest grin. "We're having another one, Josh. We're not through the first trimester yet, so we're waiting before we tell people, but…"
"Wow." Josh was surprised, and leaned back. "Wow, Sam. That's -" he tried to recover quickly. "That's great news."
"Yeah." Sam was still smiling. "We're really excited. We're having another baby." He repeated the last part, letting it sink in again.
Just after Sam's revelation, a waitress came by with a check. They paid their bill and drove back to the school, relating more memories. Sam pulled into the faculty/staff parking lot, where Josh had earlier decided he could park his rental car. Sam turned off the engine, and both stepped outside. Josh fumbled for his keys a little, finally finding them in one of the pockets in his coat.
"Hey, next time you're coming out, gimme a call." Sam told him. "We'll plan something."
"Definitely." Josh nodded. "Tell Gracie I said hello, and hug the kid for me."
"I will." Sam stepped forward, and the two friends hugged. They shared a smile, and Josh opened his car door, but stopped and turned back before getting in.
"Look, Sam, I know you don't think -" he began awkwardly. "I mean, with your family… and we'd only have a year…" he looked straight into Sam's eyes, composing himself, "but we could still do it." He saw Sam waver. "Now, I know you gotta go to class, but I talked to some people before coming here." Josh began going through his pockets again, finally producing a small, folded, white piece of paper. He held it out to Sam. "I was told to give you this if you were hesitant."
Sam took it, and slowly unfolded it, unsure if he wanted to read it or not, knowing Josh was very good at what he did. In a familiar scrawl, he read:
See the whole board. I believe in you.
Josh watched his friend carefully. "Think about it." He pulled out a business card and scribbled a number down on the back. "This is where I'm staying until tonight, and you know how to contact me." Sam took the card with his free hand, and stood looking from one to the other as Josh started his car. He waved as he pulled away, and couldn't help but feel a little victorious as he watched an unsure, but contemplative Sam through his rearview mirror.
Author's Notes: I'm really partial to the idea of Sam being a very young president, so unrealistic though it may be, I've decided to move things along really fast… and I'm going with the pilot age as being 30 or 31.