"So why did Donna really go with Mrs Bartlett?" Sam asked as he joined Josh
for lunch.
"Apparently I don't let her have a personal life, and when she tries to get one I call her back. Oh and I shouldn't threaten her dates with the IRS."
"You make her keep up with the hours you work, so she's here seven days a week. Ginger and Bonnie at least get to leave at a reasonable hour. Any date she ever goes on you interrupt and demand she comes back here for something trivial and you shouldn't threaten anyone with the IRS, it's just bad politics."
"Thanks for the support there Sam." Josh said sarcastically.
"Josh, Donna is like a sister to me and she's much more than just your assistant. Remember the rules and how she took care of you. That's definitely above and beyond the call of duty."
"That's just Donna, she's my friend too."
"She's more than just your friend Josh."
"What…"
"Sam, Congressman Walters is here to see you." Bonnie said from the doorway.
"Coming. I'll see you later." He got up taking the remains of his lunch with him.
"Why is I feel everyone is trying to tell me something?" Josh muttered.
"Did you say something Mr Lyman?" Janie his temporary assistant asked.
"No." He snapped.
"Can I get you some coffee?" Josh scowled at her. "I'll be at my desk if you need anything."
~ ~ ~
"So that's the schedule for the rest of the day Mrs Bartlett. We still need firm up a few events for later in the week and the Secret Service need to run security sweeps."
"Thank you Donna, you're very efficient. Please take a seat." Abbey encouraged.
"I had to be to keep up with Josh. He couldn't find his way out of a paper bag without help let alone get to a meeting on time, since he insists on wearing a watch that won't tell the right time."
"So if he needs you why do want to transfer?" Abbey asked.
"Because as much as I like working for him and with him, I can have him take over my whole life. I need more than a few hours to go home and be me insisted of just making it home long enough to sleep and be back at the White House in four hours."
"You knew life in the White House was going to be long hours before you signed on." Abbey pointed out.
"I work more hours than any of the other senior assistants, including Margaret and we both know how difficult it is to get Leo to leave. I never get vacations because Josh needs me to work. A few weeks ago I had to go to the dentist, I was gone for an hour tops and I had five phone calls."
"I'm sure it was important." Abbey stated.
"Ma'am, the first call was to ask where I was and when I was coming back, which I had spent the previous week reminding him of. The second was to ask if I knew where the stapler was, the third if I knew where he'd put his backpack. The fourth was to ask what his yahoo password was so he could access his e-mail from his Mike Piazza mailing list. The last call was to say he was going to lunch with Sam, there was no work for me to do when I got back but I had to go and buy him some socks."
"All of which could have waited until you got back." Abbey said nodding, "I'm beginning to see your point."
"Enough about me Mrs Bartlett. I need to make a few phone calls; we need to leave in just over an hour." Donna said getting to her feet. "If you'll excuse me." Abbey nodded, as soon as Donna had left she let out a sigh. Abbey and the rest of the West Wing knew, Donna knew, but Josh was still blind.
"Apparently I don't let her have a personal life, and when she tries to get one I call her back. Oh and I shouldn't threaten her dates with the IRS."
"You make her keep up with the hours you work, so she's here seven days a week. Ginger and Bonnie at least get to leave at a reasonable hour. Any date she ever goes on you interrupt and demand she comes back here for something trivial and you shouldn't threaten anyone with the IRS, it's just bad politics."
"Thanks for the support there Sam." Josh said sarcastically.
"Josh, Donna is like a sister to me and she's much more than just your assistant. Remember the rules and how she took care of you. That's definitely above and beyond the call of duty."
"That's just Donna, she's my friend too."
"She's more than just your friend Josh."
"What…"
"Sam, Congressman Walters is here to see you." Bonnie said from the doorway.
"Coming. I'll see you later." He got up taking the remains of his lunch with him.
"Why is I feel everyone is trying to tell me something?" Josh muttered.
"Did you say something Mr Lyman?" Janie his temporary assistant asked.
"No." He snapped.
"Can I get you some coffee?" Josh scowled at her. "I'll be at my desk if you need anything."
~ ~ ~
"So that's the schedule for the rest of the day Mrs Bartlett. We still need firm up a few events for later in the week and the Secret Service need to run security sweeps."
"Thank you Donna, you're very efficient. Please take a seat." Abbey encouraged.
"I had to be to keep up with Josh. He couldn't find his way out of a paper bag without help let alone get to a meeting on time, since he insists on wearing a watch that won't tell the right time."
"So if he needs you why do want to transfer?" Abbey asked.
"Because as much as I like working for him and with him, I can have him take over my whole life. I need more than a few hours to go home and be me insisted of just making it home long enough to sleep and be back at the White House in four hours."
"You knew life in the White House was going to be long hours before you signed on." Abbey pointed out.
"I work more hours than any of the other senior assistants, including Margaret and we both know how difficult it is to get Leo to leave. I never get vacations because Josh needs me to work. A few weeks ago I had to go to the dentist, I was gone for an hour tops and I had five phone calls."
"I'm sure it was important." Abbey stated.
"Ma'am, the first call was to ask where I was and when I was coming back, which I had spent the previous week reminding him of. The second was to ask if I knew where the stapler was, the third if I knew where he'd put his backpack. The fourth was to ask what his yahoo password was so he could access his e-mail from his Mike Piazza mailing list. The last call was to say he was going to lunch with Sam, there was no work for me to do when I got back but I had to go and buy him some socks."
"All of which could have waited until you got back." Abbey said nodding, "I'm beginning to see your point."
"Enough about me Mrs Bartlett. I need to make a few phone calls; we need to leave in just over an hour." Donna said getting to her feet. "If you'll excuse me." Abbey nodded, as soon as Donna had left she let out a sigh. Abbey and the rest of the West Wing knew, Donna knew, but Josh was still blind.