To Touch the Face of God
The writing of this book had already been completed when the Congressional scandal broke. However, I couldn't resist adding a final chapter in the eleventh hour, almost on the eve of publishing. In the few short months between the time when I considered this work done and the time that I write this addendum, the political landscape of this country has changed dramatically.
And unfortunately, the past few months have revealed the dirty side of politics, the side that few people see and even fewer participate in. It is understandable for our faith in politicians, as small as it may have been initially, to now be completely crushed. People elected in good faith have betrayed the trust and responsibility that was given to them. But that does not mean that we should turn our backs on politics or mistrust all politicians.
Men and women of character have appeared from both parties to stand up for what is right and to show politics for what it has the potential to be. Representatives Robert Burris and Cara Morano have risen from within the ranks of the Republican Party and proven themselves to be strong, capable leaders willing to work together with the opposing Democrats. In the Democratic party, Representatives Theodore Keegan and Alexandra McCosham have demonstrated that they are equally as willing to conduct themselves with integrity and move forward with the business of governing the nation.
But in the midst of this unprecedented show of bipartisan co-operation, none of these de facto leaders have abandoned their beliefs. They have shown that it is possible to disagree with someone, to oppose their ideas, and yet to still work in concert with them toward a common goal. They stand before the nation as proof that politicians can conduct themselves with dignity and honour.
F Scott Fitzgerald once wrote, "The test of a first rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function. One should, for example, be able to see that things are hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise." Many of the situations facing our elected representatives, including the current situation, have at times seemed utterly hopeless or completely impossible. But they have not yet ceded defeat. They continue to work towards making the nation a better place for us all and righting the wrongs that have been done.
"There's an old saying that the two things you never want to let people see you make," Josh started, raising his glass of wine and looking down the long table at the assembled group, "laws and sausages."
"Come on, Josh," CJ called, "we've all seen laws being made. Are you going to crank up your sausage machine for an encore?"
"I will not take heckling from the crowd," Josh dictated firmly. "Is that completely understood?"
"Dad," Joan replied, "that line never worked with us and we're your kids, we're supposed to listen to you."
"The two of you never listened very well in Talmud Torah or Sunday school or whatever you went to," Josh declared. "It's right in there: 'Honour your father and mother.' Take your pick; it's in both."
"We can honour you and still not listen," Joan maintained, "especially to something so obtuse as that insubstantial caveat."
"So obtuse as that insubstantial caveat?" Mark repeated, eyebrows raised.
"Seven-seventy verbal, baby," Joan responded.
"She's your daughter," Donna said, nudging Josh. "Now I'd either hurry and finish your toast or sit down."
"She's your daughter, too," Josh whined.
"Finish your story, Joshua," Donna answered.
"How come Leo never had to put up with stuff like this when he told his stories? I mean, we all heard the big block of cheese story a bunch of times."
"Did you ever actually listen to the big block of cheese story?"
"Maybe once."
"Sit down, Josh," Toby called. "You need a decent speechwriter."
"I suppose that you think that you could do better," Josh shot back as he sank down into his seat.
"A monkey with a typewriter could do better," Toby responded, pushing himself to his feet and pouring himself another glass of wine.
"These are the times that try men's souls," Toby began without preamble. "The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value." He raised his glass, downed half of it in one gulp, and sank back down into his chair.
Sam waited for a second until conversation had resumed, then leaned across the table and asked Toby, "You think that they know you were quoting Thomas Paine?"
"I do" Mallory said, reaching over to steal some of Sam's meal.
"You two might know, and I wouldn't put it past some of the kiddie table," Toby answered, gesturing down toward the end of the table where Noah and Joan had gathered with Jack, Mark and the remainder of the younger generation. "But if Josh knows, without being told, that I was quoting Paine, I'll give up my cigars," Toby declared, confident that Josh was, as usual, clueless.
"Hey, Toby," Josh called, "am I crazy or was that The American Crisis you were quoting from?"
"I believe you were saying something about your cigars?" Sam said with a grin.
"They're bad for your health anyway," Mallory assured him.
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"This is unbelievable."
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"Tell me about it," Sarah replied, staring at the letter in front of her. "This is beyond unbelievable. This is absolutely, positively incredible."
"Are those really our names?" Jeff asked. "Are those really our names on a list of Pulitzer nominations?"
"Unless you know another Sarah Sutherland and another Jeffrey Jewett that did a series of investigative articles about the Congressional scandal, I think they've got to be." Sarah started losing her look of shock and finally managed to tear her eyes away from the paper. "I think this calls for a drink."
"Sarah, you just walked out on supper with your friends so that we could open this letter together, are you sure that you want to go out for drinks?" Jeff questioned.
"No," she replied, "not out for drinks. We're all in the conference room; come join us."
"Do you know who those people are?" Jeff asked, his eyes going even rounder behind his glasses and his voice rising in pitch.
"It's cute when you do that thing with your voice," Sarah told him. "Now come on. We've got a reason to celebrate." Without waiting for further protests, she grabbed his arm and pulled him into the elevator.
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"I can't go in there."
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"Yes, you can, Toby," CJ assured him. "The whole floor has been closed off for us and the men's washroom is out of order. So unless you want to wander the hotel searching, you don't really have so many other options."
Toby sighed and glared at her before pushing open the door clearly marked 'Ladies'. As soon as he had disappeared inside and the door had swung shut behind him, CJ motioned for Josh and Sam to come out from their hiding spots.
"He's in there?" Josh asked excitedly.
CJ nodded and rolled her eyes. "So long as the two of you are well aware that the revenge for this is not going to pretty. And I am not to be implicated in any way, shape, or form or Toby's revenge is going to look insignificant compared to the agonies I will inflict upon you."
"Got it, Ceej."
"Now out of our way." With wide grins stretched across their faces, Sam and Josh quietly opened the door and crept in.
CJ grinned and waved Donna out from behind a column. "You'd think that as they neared sixty they'd stop pulling pranks on one another," CJ commented. "They're way too old for that sort of thing."
"It's a good thing we're younger than they are," Donna noted with a laugh.
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"Yeah, lucky for us."
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"What, that you managed to dodge a bullet by not having any substantial legislative agenda on the table for the time you were out of the House?" Mark inquired. "I'm all for equal rights and equal representation, but what if it had come down to a swing vote situation?"
Alex sighed, shifting the sleeping infant in her arms. "Like I said, we were lucky in that we didn't have to deal with that sort of a situation. But if it was at all possible I would have gone in; you know that."
"I know that, and the rest of us in this room know that, but what about the people who elected you? Are they as sure about your dedication?" Mark asked. He untangled one of his arms from beneath the other sleeping girl to scratch his nose.
"I guess we'll find out soon," Alex answered. "Elections are coming up again. If they don't re-elect me, their faith in me was too shaken. If they do, then I guess you've got your answer."
"Simple as that?"
"Nothing's as simple as that. But when all of the extraneous stuff is boiled away, you're left with the fact that they either think you're going to do a good job or they don't; you either get elected or you don't. This isn't one of those things you can go in halves for."
"So, you're still sure that this is what you want to do?" Mark questioned. "And I don't mean just this election."
Alex sighed. "I don't think you can ever really be sure about something like this. Things like scandals and back-room dealings shake everyone's faith in the system, even those of us who are the system. But it just makes me think that if no one moves in to make the changes that need to be made, things are just going to stay the same."
"You know," Mark commented, "it's a shame that I'll probably wind up voting against you."
"I wouldn't expect anything else," Alex told him with a laugh. "But if you ever decide to come and work for a bleeding-heart liberal, I'll welcome you with open arms."
"I'll keep it in mind," Mark answered seriously. "I don't know if I'll ever take you up on that offer, but I'll keep it in mind."
Alex nodded in response as Josh raised his glass in another attempt to make a toast.
"Well, I didn't find myself a monkey and a typewriter but I did manage to get myself locked in a washroom with two speechwriters," he started. "We've all been through the wringer lately but we've managed to come through it more or less intact."
"Here's my cue to take over," Sam interjected, coming to stand beside Josh and raising his own glass. "It's like an old flag that's been weakened and tattered by the sun and the wind. You could try to keep it in pristine condition by storing it carefully out of harms way, but it would fade and grow ragged anyway. I say that you might as well fly the flag and let it unfurl in its full glory."
"Before stepping in to clarify the message that has been lost in too much imagery and the oddest choice of a simile that I have ever heard, I would like to congratulate Sam on the discovery of punctuation," Toby added, forgoing the glass and grabbing a bottle of wine. "What these two have been trying to say is that things have been tough but we've pulled through and managed to get some victories out of our losses."
"I'll drink to that," Jack called.
"To not letting our better angels be shouted down," CJ added.
"To hitting walls at full speed."
"You know, what the hell, raise what's left of that flag for me!"
Around the room they raised their glasses in tribute to where they had been, to where they were, and to where they were going. For a moment, silence reigned.
"What do you know," Joan commented after a second, "Dad finally managed to get through a toast."
"Watch it, young lady," Josh warned.
"Impervious," Joan shot back.
"She's your daughter," Josh said, turning to Donna. Then he turned back to face the room at large, asking, "Any other smart-aleck comments?"
"Yeah," Alex answered. "What's next?"
Author's Note – Thanks to everyone who read all the way through to the end. An even bigger thanks goes to everyone who reviewed. And the biggest thanks of all goes to my beta reader!
As promised, here is the complete text of the poem 'High Flight'. The sections of lines used as chapter titles for Mark's book are placed in italics.
'High Flight'
John Gillespie McGee
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Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds – and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of – and wheeled and soared
And swung high in the sunlit silence.
Hovering there, I've chased the shouting wind along
And flung my eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark or even eagle flew
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high, un-trespassed sanctity of space
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.
Stay tuned for scenes from our next episode... 'Do Not Go Gentle'