February 2004
A/N: Would somebody please explain to Anne Marie that you’re supposed to warn
someone before you serve? Even in ping pong? I was minding my own business
practicing my swing against the wall when all of a sudden- THWAP! I get smacked
in the head by a Ping Pong ball. Yes, they’re small but they hurt, damn it!
“Would you be going if she wasn’t attractive?” I asked
“We’ll never know. “ He replied and goes back into his office.
Now a couple hours later, I can’t get over this feeling of being pissed.
I hate this. Not that cancelling of his dinner meeting, that’s a matter of course
around here. It’s the attractive, flirtatious brunette who turns his head because she
wants something from him. He’s got to know that, right? So why does he fall for it
every time!
It’s not like he hasn’t seen it before, experienced it before. This is Washington D.C.
people play all kinds of games to get their bill passed, to improve their influence at
the White House, and even to simply sleep with a powerful man.
Josh is, according to many people, the third most powerful man in the District.
Supposedly, he holds that position because he’s brilliant and can see strategy like
it’s skywriting. He has to see what the NASA Ho is trying to do here.
I try to concentrate on typing the memo Josh is going to need when he goes to the
hill tomorrow. I have no idea if he’s coming back here after his ‘stargazing’
appointment, but I keep working anyway. If I go home I’ll just end up brooding over
there. From my peripheral vision, I see several pairs of black shoes stop near my
desk. That can only mean one thing…
“Good evening, Mr. President.” I stand up to face the leader of the free world.
President Bartlet is quite a man. Usually, I get a heads up from someone when he’s
headed this way, but sometimes, like now, he just randomly appears and it always
freaks me out.
“Hello, Donna. It looks like I caught you in the middle of something. I just needed
Josh for a minute. Is he free?”
“I’m sorry, sir. He left the building for a meeting.”
“Damn. I wanted to go over a few things before his dinner meeting.” The President
looks vexed. “Please sit down, Donna.” I follow his command and sit even as I reply.
“Oh, that was cancelled, Mr. President.” I explain. “I’m trying to reschedule for
tomorrow.”
“Why was it cancelled? Did something more important come up?”
“Not really.” I answer. Then I thoughtlessly mutter a caveat. “Just a NASA Ho.”
“What was that?” The President asks.
“Uh…he just had to go…see about a NASA proposal…of some kind.” I manage. I
can think on my feet.
President Bartlet looks at me strangely. “A NASA proposal? I thought they were
here this morning.”
“They were. This was a kind of follow-up, I guess.” I hedge. I wonder how the
President would respond if I told him where and with whom Josh was going instead
of his dinner meeting….Nah, I wouldn’t do that….or would I????
“Did I hear they are interested in funding for a trip to Mars?” He asks me.
“Yes, sir.” I answer.
“That would be incredible, don’t you think? A whole new frontier…NASA used to
have dreamers and idealists throughout their organization. Now it’s bureaucrats
and pencil pushers.” He expounds.
“Yes, sir.” I agree. What choice do I have there really?
“Yes, bureaucrats and pencil pushers…” he repeats as he turns to leave. “I didn’t
know they hired Ho’s though. Goodnight, Donnatella.” He waves as he leaves me.
Oh. My. God!