CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
At Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Brett peered out from the wide cinder-block-walled tunnel leading from the Packer's locker room onto the field. Brett wasn't nervous, but he knew that this was a speech that would have to be a knock-out blow. Every politician takes crap at some point, he reasoned, now it was his turn, and he would return fire. As he walked down the tunnel he made sure his foot touched on the three-foot-long section that had never been paved and was the same dirt trod by generations of Green Bay Packers down the ages. Walking that tunnel, a person could almost feel the ghost of Vince Lombardi.*
The 81-year-old stadium looked packed. With its last expansion the seating capacity was 84,809. At the 50-yard line, inside the Packers "G" logo there was a simple podium set up and a small dais with two rows of folding chairs behind it that were empty.
At the appointed time, the Mayor of Green Bay, a portly older man with the all-but- unpronounceable Polish last name of Przyleblski, strode out onto the field and took the microphone at the podium.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to Lambeau Field!" the Mayor boomed.
"Before we get started I'd like to thank the city council and the Packers organization for approving the stadium's use tonight. Concessions will be open on the way out. Anyway, without further ado, let's get to it! Please welcome our Governor, Brett Dowling."
The stadium erupted with cheers as out of the tunnel Brett walked with his entire cabinet. Not in single file, but in three rows, five abreast with Brett in the middle of the first row. It was not lost on Brett's opponents, undoubtedly watching on television, that flanking him were the State Treasurer and the Attorney General.
Once at mid-field, the cabinet seated themselves, with the Treasurer and Attorney General directly behind Brett. Brett took the podium.
"Thank you, Mister Mayor, and thanks also to the Green Bay city council and to the Packers. Thank you all for coming! It looks like we've got a full house tonight, and it's good to be back in Green Bay! I'm going to try to keep my remarks tonight on point. We've got an election coming up shortly and there are some important things it's my duty to share with you. A lot of times people say, `Well, I've got good news and bad news. Which one do you want first?'"
The crowd laughed. Brett had slightly massaged the speech that Sean wrote, and hoped that this insertion would be a laugh line and break the ice.
"OK, bad news first, then... There are two pieces of bad news, and tomorrow morning the Attorney General, who is seated behind me, will give a statement to the press in order to deal with both of them.
"First off, the legislature and me in my capacity as Governor are being sued over the dissolution of the Milwaukee Public Schools. This was a bill that began in the Assembly, made its way to the Senate and once it was passed it landed on my desk. I signed it then and I'd sign it again. The purpose of the bill is accountability. Accountability to taxpayers and to children. That is the first responsibility of a representative legislature: to raise money to provide services that are fit for purpose. It was the legislature's bipartisan judgment that the Milwaukee Public Schools are not fit for purpose and were given every chance in the book over many years to change that. To no avail. There has been no change. We have public schools that are paid for with your tax dollars because as a decent society we deem it our duty to educate our children so that they can make their own way in the world.
"At present, out of the 154 schools in the Milwaukee system, only two have more than 20% of students testing proficient in math and English which means almost 80% are deficient. Eight- one of the schools - EIGHTY-ONE - have zero students testing proficient. None. The children are being cheated.
"That cannot continue. Not for the children and not for the folks who are picking up the tab, of which state taxpayers who do not live in Milwaukee pay about two-thirds of the bill. That is demonstrably unfair, and it is indefensible.
"It is the position of my administration, and after having checked with each and every Assemblyman and Senator who voted for the bill, that all of us stand by our decision, and that when election day comes shortly the voters can factor that in... Again, we are all standing by our decision."
Brett continued, and then moved into the opposition party's attempted intrusion into his personal financial affairs.
"Second, there is a matter concerning my private personal finances. There allegation is that my finances are not clean. They are clean. Period. Before I filed the papers for my candidature for office, I put in abeyance the share that I owned in the law partnership in Janesville and the share I owned in a private investment firm. I received no compensation from either the law firm or the investment firm for putting my shares in abeyance.
"That is a matter of public record and was announced the first day that I was officially a candidate. My husband put his share in the investment firm in abeyance as well but retained his share in the law firm. That's how he makes his living and it's hard to imagine anyone, even the opposition, thinking that my husband shouldn't be earning a living.
"That would only add to the opposition's record of unemployment wouldn't it... And besides, even though I like to think I'm a nice guy, having my husband sitting around the house all day drinking beer and driving me crazy because he's got nothing to do wasn't gonna happen..."
That was another laugh line that Brett inserted, and it worked just as well as the first one.
"Now the opposition are baying that everyone needs to see my personal tax returns. That's not going to happen, either. And in any event, what for? I consulted my husband about that. My husband, as many of you know, is a retired JAG Attorney. He retired from the Navy two years ago with the rank of Captain and he's argued cases in front of the United States Supreme Court. My husband's answer was that I should tell the people of Wisconsin that we're not going to come knocking on their doors to see their tax returns because they'd tell us their tax returns are none of our business, and that he doesn't feel like having everyone looking at his for exactly the same reason.
"I can't argue with that, and since we file jointly I'm respecting my husband's opinion on the matter.
"Besides, as everyone knows both my husband and I, prior to my running for office, submitted certified letters from both the IRS and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue going back ten years that all of our taxes were filed on time every year and that we've never paid one penny less than we owed. We earned every dollar that passed through our hands and when the tax man came around at the end of every year we settled up without complaint.
"My husband said if the opposition wants to see our tax returns then they can take us to court. I concur.
"As silly as the tax return thing is, it's not the worst of it. The worst of it is that it appears the opposition, with the aid of others, has been illicitly attempting by various means to obtain my husband's and my financial records, banking and the like, as if they were their own. As if they'd broken into your house and tried to open your safe. I did not know the full extent of it until yesterday, but I now know that there are ongoing investigations involving both state and federal authorities. As I said, the Attorney General will have more to say on that tomorrow."
Behind Brett, the Attorney General could be seen nodding his head in agreement.
"So, that's the bad news. Legal issues. But I guess it goes with the territory. They should know that they don't scare me! I'm here to do the job you hired me to do, not to waste my time – and your time - on this kind of nonsense.
"And I'd just like to add that, the same as it is for everyone else, my family – my husband and our three sons – are my strength and my stay. I'd be nowhere in this job without them and without their support They didn't sign up for this, I did. But they've been with me all the way. That's all a man could ever ask."
At Brett's defiance, the stadium exploded again with cheers and applause.
Brett let it go on for a few moments and then motioned for quiet.
"Anyway, after two years how do you guys think we're doing?"
Another eruption of applause.
"Well, that certainly sounds like a lot more fun than legal issues..."
Again, it was a laugh line that worked. Feeling the ice was fully broken, Brett dove in.
"Anyway, as I said when I opened tonight, we've got midterm elections coming up. I figure this is as good a time as any to take stock of where we were and where we are. We have to look at the facts because they look at us.
"Almost two years ago, our team began the rescue of Wisconsin from the parlous state in which two successive failed administrations left it. I'm sure we all remember 10% unemployment, factories and businesses closing and leaving the state, bank failures, foreclosures, a feckless, ineffective legislature, a runaway bureaucracy, incompetent Governors, and all the rest of it."
The crowd loudly booed and stomped their feet.
"When we got to Madison the state government couldn't even pay its bills never mind that, as we discovered, the last administration illegally raided the pension fund for money. And they did it to no purpose. They took money from our retired people and nobody to this day knows where it went. They're probably hoping that we'll never find out... To make it even worse, they lied to us about the size of the budget deficit. It was almost twice the size we were led to believe. It's our money and they lied to all of us about how irresponsible they were with it."
"The previous administration even left us a note that we found when we came in telling us there was no money left. A note. Left in a desk drawer. As if it were some kind of a joke. As if to say `You're in charge now. Good luck, suckers! Neener, neener, neener!'
Again, the crowd booed and stomped. Brett let the boos continue. Feeling like he was hitting his stride, he went on.
"Well, guess what... Two years of common-sense government has changed all that...
"On our first day we called the legislature into special session and the emergency budget we passed sensibly reduced expenditures while continuing to provide essential services to the neediest among us which we had to do as anyone with a heart would do. In that special session we eliminated programs and departments that were nothing more than overhead, we slimmed down the university system by weeding out unnecessary departments and weeding out needless bureaucracy, we rationalized the government labor force, we ended no-bid contracting for state services including roadbuilding, and we had to ask county and municipal governments to trim down, too, as we could not afford the existing levels of state aid. We felt that was fair.
"I know that our move to cut aid to county and local governments in the teeth of tough times wasn't popular everywhere. Or anywhere, really... I got plenty of feedback on that one, believe me. But it's my job to take the heat for that decision, and I have to tell you all plainly that if I've learned anything at all in two years as Governor it is that the essence of a good government is that it is prepared to take the difficult decisions in order to get the long-term prosperity.
"Otherwise what is the point?
"The people of Wisconsin were suffering when we came in, and on our first day I said to the cabinet that in the past, when the going got tough, other governments have cut and run, but not this time.
"The people's suffering would not be in vain. If that's what any of us thought, then we should just quit, go home, and save everyone the trouble. In that spirit we engaged the problems we inherited as a united administration.
"At the last election, in massive numbers, the people sent us to Madison and they told us to deliver. Or else. I can honestly say that we have done the right as we've seen the right. When tough decisions had to be taken we didn't flinch.
"And slowly but surely things are starting to look up. We can see the first green shoots of a recovery right now, and while they look healthy we have to nurse them. Unemployment is down to just over six percent – almost a 40% decrease - and still coming down. That's probably the statistic affecting people the most: a paycheck. We revamped our corporate tax and regulatory regime because if businesses don't want to be here then we don't have jobs here. It's as simple as that. We took the step that seems ridiculously easy now of actually going to companies that left Wisconsin, asking them why they left, and asking what it was gonna take for us to win them back. Why didn't anyone else think of that? It wasn't exactly rocket science...
"No longer the sick man of the Midwest, our output and investment have grown faster than any other state over the last two years and continue to do so. When companies decide to locate in this part of the country we are their first choice. Because we bothered to find out what it would take. Because we made the effort to sell the advantages of Wisconsin and its people. Because we're in it to win it.
"And because of all that, because of their hard work and enterprise, our businesses and workers now have the freedom and the talent to succeed and the will to compete. And compete we must. Our competitors won't be taking a break...
"Our stewardship of the state's finances has been better than that of any government for nearly thirty years. It's enabled us to repay debt AND cut taxes, including debt run up by the opposition when they were in power. Our bonds are no longer junk bonds but have been upgraded to an A rating. We're aiming for AAA so the people won't have as much interest to pay. We've reduced the liability on every Wisconsin household by lower taxes today and lower debt payments tomorrow.
"I can tell you all tonight that a few days ago the Treasurer advised me that for the past two months the state's finances have been in small surplus. We think, but we're not a hundred percent sure yet, that the trend will continue, and the surplus should continue to grow modestly each month. We will use the money realized from that to replenish the rainy-day fund, which we have not yet been able to do because our first task was to right the ship, and then if there's any money left over we will retire even more debt in the hopes of lightening the burden on everyone even more. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We're going to keep going. We're going to see it through.
"On taxes, we have no plans to raise taxes over the present rates. In fact, our goal is to further reduce them as and when that becomes financially sound. Nobody ever got richer by ordering another checkbook from the bank and no state ever grew wealthier by taxing its citizens and businesses beyond their capacity to pay. If the government wants more money it can only get it only by borrowing your savings or by taxing you more. The government has no money of its own. There is no such thing as public money. There is only taxpayers' money.
"I'm very sorry if some people don't like to hear that, but there it is.
"And it's no use thinking that someone else will pay. That someone else is you.
"How pleasant it would be, how popular to just snap our fingers and say `spend more on this, expand more on that' but at the end of the day somebody has to add up the figures.
"Every business has to do it, every household has to do it, every government should do it, and this one will. On that you have our word.
"It's not because any of us in Madison are geniuses that our recovery is taking off. We never thought we had all the answers, but we always felt that we had the one answer that mattered most - to work with the grain of human nature, helping people to help themselves. We knew that our first job was to rebuild our economy and reunite a divided and disillusioned people because that is the only sure way to restore the self-reliance and self-confidence which are the prerequisites of personal responsibility and success. There is no magic here.
"We put that commonsense framework in place and you, the people of Wisconsin, responded. We believed in you. We knew you would respond. And therefore, it is for us to thank YOU, not the other way around. Give yourselves a round of applause! You've earned it!"
Not only did the stadium cheer, but Brett clapped, and the entire cabinet rose, giving the people a standing ovation.
"Now, I think I've probably taken up just about enough of your time tonight, but afterwards I might have a beer or two before I go. If you see me, come up and ask me anything you want. Or if you think I'm screwing up you can tell me that, too. I work for you... I'm just a guy... But, if there's one thing I'd like everyone to take away tonight it's that we really do work for you. You are our customers and we're asking you to re-up.
"We knew people were hurting when we got to Madison. We didn't have any options. We weren't left with any. We applied principles to your state government – after all, you own it – that would above all else not be impediments to your achievement or take away your money that you earned only to give you nothing back.
"To restore success, we had to get government off the backs of the people. We had to clear the way for the state and the people to get back to business. There was no alternative. We inherited an atrocious situation that was of the opposition's making while they pretended to care. What they cared about was their own power and that was it.
"They could have done what we're doing, but they didn't.
"No amount of time lends enchantment to the last administration. Even the opposition won't argue that. They can't. I've talked to enough of them to know. They wince whenever I bring it up and then they try to change the subject and don't like it if I say, `Not so fast! You had your chance!' And we all lived through it. We were all affected by it. We all saw it with our own eyes. Every day. Right in front of our faces.
"As the Milwaukee Journal said just before the last election, the opposition has no clue and nothing to offer. They didn't then and they don't now.
"We are asking everyone's support at the ballot box if we're gonna keep moving the ball down the field. When that's your game situation, when you're ahead at halftime, you keep going. You do what works.
"It is because our team has never flinched from taking difficult decisions, it is because we believed in you as we knew we could, that the people of Wisconsin can have faith and confidence in this administration today! We've worked hard to do what's right and to earn your confidence! It ain't over `til it's over and we need everyone's vote! On, Wisconsin! Goodnight and thank you Lambeau Field!"
The stadium crowd roared its resounding ovation to their Governor as the fireworks went off, but in a dank office just off Capitol Square in Madison there was quite a different sentiment.**
"FUCK! We're NEVER gonna get rid of that fucker! Lambeau?! He goes to fucking LAMBEAU??!! Everyone in the whole state just saw him ON TV AT LAMBEAU??!! FUCK! He filled the place with two days' notice! TWO DAYS! FUCKING LAMBEAU! And then he fucking destroys us with that speech? That speech was a wrecking ball! The asshole even looks good in a fucking brown suit! He wore a fucking BROWN suit! Did you see how he looked? In a BROWN SUIT?! Like a fucking movie star! Nobody's looked good in a brown suit since fucking Ronald Reagan! And did you hear that CROWD!!
"Have a beer with me," he says. "I'm just a guy," he says. JESUS FUCKING CHRIST! And the Attorney General? TOMORROW? And we don't even know how much he knows or what he's gonna say so we can't prepare anything? We don't have time to game it out and we don't even know what time he's gonna be on TV? FUCK! We can't say anything until the AG shows his cards if he even does and right now we can't see his hand! We're FUCKED! His fucking husband says see him in court? A fucking NAVY CAPTAIN? Argued cases in front of the Supreme Fucking Court? I say we don't spend much on this election, take our lumps and find someone, anyone, halfway decent to run against him in two years when he'll be showing some wear and wants to be re-elected...
"But NOW, screw it... We got nada..."
"But the national committee really needs us this time around. We're a swing state and..."
"Fuck `em. The national committee can kiss my ass. They gave us a half-assed case to work with and they knew it. Pawned us off like Goddamn Rubes, and we're gonna end up looking like cocksuckers out of it. Or worse, crooks...
"Get him on personal financials they said. Right. No one cares about that shit anyway even if there's real dirt which we know there isn't. SHIT! See, even though this is all just a game we still have to con the voters into thinking the Governor's fucking up if we were gonna have a chance in hell this time, but the truth is he ain't fucking up and nobody thinks he is! Right now, there's no way we can beat this asshole! We're fuckin' stuck with him! We got no chance of denting his majorities. FUCK!"
"Whadya want me to tell the national chairman?"
"Tell him he's an asshole and he can go fuck himself and I don't give a fuck."
"I'll figure out a way to convey that message."
"And remind him that because we're a swing state we can't have any more of these kind of hare-brained, horseshit schemes or we won't be a swing state. We'll be fucking Texas thanks to his shit. He's gonna end up owing us, trust me... We're gonna lose and when we do we'll hang it around HIS neck."
Up north at the cabin, Sean, the twins and Tommy sat in the living room and watched Brett kill it at Lambeau Field.
"Jeez," Joey said, "Uncle Brett's always been so mellow. He handed those people their asses."
"Guys," Sean said, "I've known your Uncle Brett for 25 years. He's a gentleman, but underneath that he won't take shit from anyone. When he was a senior in high school and I was a junior, that's when, well he didn't exactly come out. See, his dad looked at his phone and read some messages between Brett and Tim. Old Herb went kinda flip shit for a few days but Brett just fucked off to Uncle Tim's house and waited him out. Don't ever think your Uncle Brett doesn't have brass balls. He's got a pair."
"Wow!" Lennie said. "You mean his dad snooped through his phone?"
"Well," Sean answered, "from what I remember Brett left the house for some reason and forgot to take his phone with him. Tim sent a message and the phone was lying out and Herb saw it and that's how it went... Or something like that..."
"Oh, OK," the twins said in unison. That still threw Sean a bit when they did that.
"Anyway, guys, tomorrow morning we're gonna go look at that old cabin I toldja about. I have some sketches of what I'd like to do with it but my sketches are shit and I need some new eyes. I can't draw for shit... You guys up for that?"
Everyone nodded.
"You, too, Thomas. By the way, kiddo, I talked to Mrs. Dickson and she says you can stay up here with me for a few days. She said you can get all your schoolwork done online. How's that sound?"
"I um... I guess that'll be OK... I mean I never been anywhere like this..."
"Well, Uncle Brad's coming up day after tomorrow and stuff..."
"I like Uncle Brad..."
"So do I, kiddo. And when he's here I'll get your input on the cabin and his, too. Special. Just between us, OK?"
"Woll... I guess so," Tommy shyly smiled.
Sean said he was gonna go outside and make sure that everything was secure for the night. He asked Lennie to go with him.
"Thanks for coming with me, son." Sean said once they were outside. "I really only wanted to ask you how Tommy's doing. I mean, he's so quiet and everything..."
"We think he's doing OK, dad. All things considered. He's not always as quiet at home as he's been here so far. But, he's not a rowdy kid. He had it real bad before. Real bad... Nobody but me and Joey know how bad. Anyway, we can take away some of his pain, I mean, you know how we can do that, but we can't build him back. With help from everyone he'll have to do that on his own because no one else can. It hasn't been that long anyway..."
"How are you guys liking the new house?"
"We like it, dad. I mean, it's not the Alamo. The Alamo's always gonna be home to us... You know that, dad, and we'll always miss it. But we hadda have a place that would be approved so that Tommy could be adopted. We think he likes it there. The house is so big for just the three of us that he's got his own room and bathroom, and a study for himself, too. I mean, we hadda set something up in some kind of a professional way for Uncle Tim's mom when she comes over to teach him... Plus, we have lunch delivered for them every day from the culinary school. Hell, we have them make most of our food."
"I didn't know that," Sean said.
"Oh, we cleared it with the principal, and besides it's good practice because you see it lets the kids over there try out new skills and then we can eat the food and give them feedback. I heard that the Monterey got a few new menu items out of it from what we've been told. You've got a lot of talented kids working there, dad..."
"I need to get over there more... I guess I need to do a lot of things..."
"Yes, dad. Yes, you do. I'm sorry to be so direct..."
"It's fine, son. You were raised to be an honest man. And I know I've been, well, let's just say delinquent in my duties to my family."
"Water under the bridge, dad. So, what about Uncle Brad?"
"What about him?"
"Well, you know, what about him? I mean, he basically took care of us after you checked out. Maybe you didn't realize that and maybe he didn't live with us, but he was always there. Quietly. But he was always there, dad. And he's a great guy... And if I say so myself, he's good looking..."
"But, it's just... I mean..."
"You don't have to give me any answer or explanation, dad. I'm fine... But you do have to give yourself one... At some point... Go figure, huh, dad? ME giving YOU advice?"
"It's the circle of life, son... And I'm not that much older than you are, anyway. But, I mean, UNCLE BRAD? Well, to be honest, it's not that I never thought about it..."
"Sleep on it, dad... Anyway, it's not as weird as you think Joey and I are..."
"I never thought you guys were weird, different, maybe sure, but..." Sean said. "God, it was a helluva night when you two were born, you know. There was your Grandpa Joe, Great-grandma Ginny, me, dad, and later on in the middle of everything your grandfather Kennedy stomped in right when there was a problem with Lennie being born, and then the delivery room and the doctors... It was unreal... I guess I should laugh at it now, huh?"
"Well, just think on it. I mean, we remember Uncle Brad almost as much as we remember you and dad. He used to sit on the floor and play with us when we were kids. Both us, and T. J. and Scott. He was like a third dad. And just so you know that hick way he has as talking is an act. He hasn't done that for years. Not since he had those speech lessons years and years ago. He told us that himself. Says he uses the hick thing if he thinks he needs it..."
"Well, if that's true why would he still use it with me?"
"Maybe because, dad, he doesn't want you to think he's different than he was before, I dunno. Why don't you ask him?"
"Why don't I ask him... Jesus Christ, you guys are too much like me," Sean laughed. "I just... I mean, though... Nobody... Nobody knows..."
"No, we don't dad. And I'm sorry for that. We can never know. He was most of your whole life. You two were even little boys together. It's almost like if it was Joey and me... I get it. But it wasn't as hard on me and Joey as it was on Teej and Scotty. We helped them as much as we could then just like we're helping Tommy now. They were receptive because we were all little together even though they hadn't inherited any gift, but it was still rough on them. We were a little older, though, and we told them to leave you alone. That's one thing we couldn't do, though. We couldn't take away your pain, dad. It doesn't work like that."
Sean thought on what his son had just said. It hit home.
"I guess I couldn't do it, either..." Sean said. "But I know now that I have to. I know that now..."
"You do what you need to do, dad. So... Whadya gonna do?"
"I'll show you some of it tomorrow. And then I think you'll understand. Maybe..."
"Sounds good. Let's get back."
The next morning after breakfast, they offloaded the Land Rover from the trailer.
"Were we going?" Joey asked.
"You'll see..." Sean said. "We're gonna go over to the other side of the property, on the other side of the river. It's a long way to drive around as there's no direct route, but once we're there, there's only an old Jeep trail. That's why I wanted the Land Rover. And I wanted diesel because it'd be too hard to charge an electric one. Guess I better get a storage tank delivered and fill it with fuel before I run out... Anyway, let's go, guys... Tommy, you sit up front with me."
About an hour later they were there. Sean had the old gate open and they proceeded up the old Jeep trail.
"Jesus, dad!" Lennie said. "Talk about the middle of bumfuck nowhere! Should we put on Dueling Banjos? Some toothless guy gonna tell me I got a purdy ass?"
https://youtu.be/gsC4kf6x_Q0
Sean noticed Tommy wince, and as he'd done a time or two when they were boys Sean reached into the back seat and swatted Lennie. He noted Tommy snicker when he did that. Good enough, Sean thought.
"There's a hill just around the next bend. I can get us up near the top of it. Just wait, guys... I gotta say, this Land Rover makes this easy. It's no wonder the old Queen, who I'm pretty sure you guys don't remember, barreled around Balmoral in one of these..."
"We've been to Balmoral, dad..." Joey said.
"I know you have. On the invite of the King. What's he like, anyway?"
"Well," Joey said, "he's really just like anyone else. I mean, once when we were there he had to leave our hunting party for a meeting with the Prime Minister and he just said, "Damn! I knew it was on my schedule! Right! Well, business before pleasure! I'll be back in 50 minutes! Carry on!" Not 30 minutes or 45 minutes or an hour later, but FIFTY MINUTES. And after 50 minutes, up pulls the King in his Land Rover. He's on time for everything. He doesn't make people wait on him. He can knock back a beer or three and tell a joke. If he thinks you know something that he wants to know about, he'll ask ya and keep asking really pretty good questions. He even asked after you, dad. But like I said, you never lose sight of the fact that he's the King. When he walks into a room, he puts everyone at ease, but he fills the room."
"He asked about ME?" Sean exclaimed.
"He did. We do business with him, dad. His people checked us ALL out. He knows about our whole family."
"Jesus!"
"Well-informed is an understatement with that guy and he remembers EVERYTHING you've ever said to him. Says he got it from his grandmother."
"Well, if he did you guys better be on your toes then. Like I said, you guys are really too young to remember the King's grandmother, but I do, and it'll be a long time until we see her like again. You guys remember learning about World War II, right?"
"Jesus Christ!" Lennie said, "That's all dad ever talked about when we needed a topic for History Class was World War II. Yeah, we've heard about it alright..."
"Well, the King's grandmother served in that war."
"What the fuck?!" The twins said in unison.
"Yeah, she was just 18 years old near the end of the war. She was a truck mechanic in the British Army. She served."
"Jesus Christ... The King said she was warm but that she could be stroppy sometimes..."
"She had a country to run, boys. And she learned from her father who was a wartime King. William sounds like a good guy and if he knows how to run his country as well as she did he's probably a little stroppy sometimes, too."
"We've made him a ton of money, dad. That's what he hired us to do," Joey said.
"Yeah," Lennie echoed. "I think he just appreciates that it's a business relationship. Same with the Prince of Wales."
"George?"
"Yeah, he's just like his dad. Enjoys a couple of bong hits, too, he does."
"Well, you guys better be careful with who knows about that. I mean, it's not like everybody doesn't do it, but he's the future King."
"We say nothing." The twins said in unison. "If you deal with the Royal family, you say nothing."
"That would be my policy," Sean said, "But that's not important right now. We're almost there, just a little bit to near the top of the hill then..."
"I still don't get this," Joey said.
"Yeah, we're like in the middle of a forest in the middle of nowhere!" Lennie echoed.
Sean pulled the Land Rover off the trail near the top of the hill, got out and said, "Follow me!"
Once over the crest of the hill Sean stopped and just pointed.
"Holy Shit!" the twins and Tommy said.
"What's this, dad?" Lennie asked.
"Well, Uncle Tim's gonna give me a life tenancy on it. I want to expand it and I brought some drawings. Here, look them over while we walk around it. You, too, Tommy!"
After about ten minutes walking around the old stone cabin, Joey had the drawings and told Sean, "Dad, your drawings look like kind of a miniature Balmoral Castle. Did you know that?"
"No. I mean how could I? I've never been there..."
"Well, it does. Even though your drawings suck... It's actually kinda cool. What about the grounds? I mean, how about a big patio down to the edge of the bluff with a stone knee-wall?"
"Hadn't thought of that," Sean said, nodding his head. "And I know my drawings suck. By the way, the land across the river is Dickson land, too. I'm going to have it connected with a bridge."
"A bridge?" Joey asked, both he and Lennie looking at Sean askance.
"Yeah, what I said. A bridge. It'll probably be a cable-stayed bridge. That way I can get here from the main road on the other side of the river not the fire lane road on this side. It'll be ten minutes or so instead of an hour. Plus, security will be better."
"I think it's great, dad," Lennie said. "So, does that mean you're gonna sell the Alamo?"
"I dunno, maybe... I still need a base in Janesville, though, and I sold the condo at the Monterey years ago, so..."
"What about the land around the cabin here?" Lennie asked.
"See how far it is from the cabin to the bluff and then down to the river?" Sean said. "I'll have a radius around the cabin equal to that. So, I can make the land look how I want. I won't change it much, after all this is forest land. I'll have a lawn around the lodge, and maybe a flower garden but that's it and anything will have to be designed to be maintained with minimum care so it can't be fancy. I'd like to name the place..."
"Glen Muick Lodge" Joey said with certainty.
"Glen Muick?" Sean repeated.
"Yeah. Loch Muick is a lake on the Balmoral Estate and there's an old lodge near the shore. Queen Victoria used it. The lodge is at the bottom of the valley, not at the top like this place is, but the scenery is really similar. A glen is a valley and that's what lies below here, so... It's a great Scottish place name anyway and the Dickson's are Scottish. Seems to hang together..."
"OK, well what do you think, Thomas?" Sean asked.
"Woll... It's OK... I guess..."
"If Thomas says it's good enough for him, then it's good enough for me," Sean said. "Glen Muick Lodge it is!"
"So, dad, if you have a bridge built then what about the gate we came through and the Jeep Trail?"
"I'll hold off doing anything with that in case I have to give back land to being natural for what land will be taken up by new roadway. It might be nothing, but it might be a lot. Who knows? The Jeep trail is about as long as the distance from Tim's cabin to the other side of the river, so... I mean, I can satisfy them... Especially with what I'll be paying in taxes every year... If there's a discrepancy I'm sure I can get them to see it my way... If not, I'll ask them what their school needs or something like that... Either way it'll work out."
"Think we should be getting back, dad?" Joey asked.
"Yeah, I suppose so. I wanna see the rerun on the Attorney General thing from this morning. I set the TV to store it. And I imagine Uncle Brett had some words to say afterwards," Sean said.
"You get that set up and we'll put dinner on," Lennie said.
"Not the way you guys cook!" Sean laughed, and it didn't go unnoticed by Sean that Tommy laughed, too.
"What's the matter, Young Thomas"" Sean asked. "Not gettin' the best food at home are you?"
"Woll... It's a lot better than I ever had before. But when it's not from the school and dads cook, then..."
"You know how to cook?" Sean asked.
"Naw."
"Wanna learn?"
"I think so..."
"Well, next year when you're at Craig there's a school across the road that I own. We kinda mesh with Craig and Parker. You can get a real vocational training there to be a cook, or other things, too. It's a trade school. How's that sound?"
"I guess it sounds OK... I'm not that good in school..."
"Well, I own the school and you're my grandson, so if you decide you wanna go there, you're in."
"Really?" Tommy looked up with a combination of pleading and joy in his eyes.
"You talk it over with your dads and if that's what you wanna do then we can make it happen for you. You'd go to Craig part time and then there part time. That's how it would work. But there's really no travel as there's only a block between the two schools. Walk through the south parking lot at Craig, cross Racine Street and you're there..."
Tommy smiled. Sean hadn't seen him do that before. He gazed at the small, brown haired boy in front of him – it was obvious that Tommy would not be a big, or tall man – and his heart melted.
Swallowing hard, Sean said, "Alright, let's go guys! When we get back to the cabin just heat up the oven and we can have some frozen pizzas. That way it won't get fucked up."
"Jeez, dad!" Lennie said.
"Scotty's the only one out of all you guys can cook, and you know it," Sean teased.
"Fine, dad... Why do you think we have the school cook our food for us anyway..."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah... Let's go..."
Back at the cabin, Joey and Lennie managed to get three frozen pizzas in the oven and Tommy set the table.
Sean got the TV set up.
"Alright, let's see what they had to say..." Sean said.
Everyone gathered around. The newscaster began.
"We're cutting away now to the State Capitol building where the Attorney General will be making a statement shortly and then the Governor is expected to take questions from the press."
After about a minute, the Attorney General of Wisconsin strode to the podium. Brett had taken George Dickson's advice in choosing his Attorney General, an old colleague of George's and a retired Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice who agreed to come on board to help. George's advice was, "Son, you'll need an experienced person in that office given what you need to bite off here. He's the best."
"Good morning," the Attorney General said briskly. "I'll be giving a short statement covering two items, namely the situation with the Milwaukee Public Schools and then the situation with an ongoing investigation into, shall we say, what appears to be possible political shenanigans.
"We'll take the Milwaukee schools first. About half an hour ago, my office got word that the Fifth District Court, based here in Madison, has issued a ruling which vacates the legislation passed by the Assembly and Senate and signed by the Governor, and further enjoins the legislature from assuming control of the Milwaukee schools.
"I've already read the ruling and I've given the Governor my opinion which is as follows: the Fifth District is based here in Madison, does not cover Milwaukee County, and given that the plaintiffs are not individuals who might be able to make a case that they have, or stand to be injured by the dissolution of MPS, but rather is the Wisconsin Education Association, there is no standing for the Fifth District Court to have issued such a ruling. The Governor asked me for my opinion on how to proceed and I gave him several options together with their pluses and minuses. I imagine the Governor might elaborate on his decision, if he's made one, when he appears shortly. Bear in mind this happened within the past thirty minutes.
"Second, as the Governor talked about at Lambeau Field, the Wisconsin Department of Justice together with the FBI is involved in an ongoing investigation into the attempted theft of the Governor's and his husband's personal financial records. This is an ongoing investigation so as I am sure you will appreciate I can have no comment at this time other than what I just said and to let you know that my department is taking the investigation seriously.
"That will be all, ladies and gentlemen."
The Attorney General left the podium to a cacophony of bellowed questions from the press. He didn't look back and kept walking.
Out strode Brett, looking well-rested and as usual dressed and coiffed like a fashion model. Not wearing the brown suit he wore at Lambeau Field, this morning he wore a dark gray suit tailored in a double-breasted 1940's style and with his loose blond curls framing his face.
"We've all just heard the Attorney General so I'll get right down to business here. As the Attorney General said, he gave me several options on how to proceed with respect to the ruling on the Milwaukee Schools. And just so we're all clear here, my job is to carry out and enforce the laws of the state. What we're talking about here is a law of the state. Overwhelmingly passed by bi-partisan majorities in the Assembly and Senate and signed by me. I intend to both enforce this law and to carry it out.
"One option I was given was to accept the ruling of the Fifth District. I rejected that out of hand. It's not going to happen. Not on my watch. One appointed Judge cannot stymie the combined will of the elected legislature and the elected Governor of the state in the instance of an act that is clearly constitutional. That's nonsense. And no Governor could ever accept that as it would set a dangerous precedent for the ability of future legislatures and Governors to act. Therefore, I do not accept the Fifth District's ruling. I was then left with two choices. One was to simply thumb my nose at the Court and ignore the ruling. I have to admit that, as an Attorney myself, I believe I could make that stand. The other one is to appeal the decision and hope for the best.
"My decision, no matter how much I would like to tell the Fifth District Judge to take a hike – and believe me I would - is to appeal it. I want to see our constitutional process work. And it will. I am hereby instructing the Attorney General to submit a written application to the State Supreme Court for emergency certiorari.*** That way, we can hopefully avoid the Appellate Court step and just get on with this. As I've said before, the children of Milwaukee and the taxpayers of the state are done waiting, and the people's elected representatives and Governor have spoken.
"As to the second issue, as the Attorney General just explained, yes, there is an ongoing investigation and therefore I won't be commenting either other than to say that as a former JAG Attorney who has argued cases in front of the United States Supreme Court, my husband is assisting both federal and state officials in their investigation by providing them with whatever materials they require on our behalf. I want everyone to know that we regard the safety of our privacy the same way that everyone else regards the safety of theirs. That's fair.
"And now I will take a few questions. Before we start, the rules are the same as when I take questions from the legislature. One question per person, no speeches, and no follow-ups.
"Yes!" Brett pointed at the woman he knew to be Suzie Sundt, the reporter who had been such a pain in the ass in Tim and Brett's driveway on the night he'd won the election.
"Suzie Sundt, Governor..."
"I know who you are," Brett cut her off with a smile. "Question?" he said, still smiling but with raised eyebrows.
"Governor, in two years in office this is your first press conference. Can you explain why that is and also why it is that..."
"One question per person, Suzie..." Brett winked. "Anyway, I made the decision early that in being an avid news watcher myself I've seen how the press badgers elected officials and that if, as I fully expected to be, was going to be badgered on a regular basis in this job that it should be by taking questions directly from the people's elected representatives. It's helped everyone. I've been able to form relationships with people from the legislature on both sides of the aisle that probably never would have happened if not for that. And it's helped us all to get things done in a more efficient and timely manner. I've also noticed that when Governor's Questions airs on TV at 7:00 every Wednesday night when the legislature is in session it's the number one rated show statewide in that time slot. We're letting everyone see what it is that we do and how we do it, and it appears that people find it interesting. Also, I thought someone would ask so I'm glad I brought the figures with me. In 68 Governor's Questions I've answered 1,457 oral questions. Whodathunkit? Next?"
"Governor, when do you expect to hear on the emergency cert that you're asking the Supreme Court for?"
"One would hope it will be just as soon as possible, a day or two, who knows, but I'm leaving it to the Attorney General to handle that. He's a retired Supreme Court Justice and I'm not."
"Governor! What about your personal tax returns?"
"Glad you asked. It appears that the fuss about that has somehow died away. This morning's State Journal**** had a small front-page article below the fold stating that the opposition no longer considers it to be an issue. As I stated at Lambeau, my husband and I have always paid our taxes on time and paid every single cent that we owed. The same way everyone else who can hold their head up does. I will not take another question on that. Ever."
With that, Sean turned the TV off.
"Jesus Christ," Sean said. "He killed it again. These midterm elections will be a cinch for him..."
"Kinda looks that way," Joey said.
"He's done a good job," Lennie echoed.
"So..." Tommy said tentatively, "My Uncle's the Governor?"
"Yes, son," Joey said. "He's our Uncle and he's your Uncle, too. You'll like him. Remember Uncle Tim, your lawyer?"
"Yeah..."
"The Governor is Brett's husband."
"So, they're like gay and stuff?"
"Yes, they're like gay and stuff..."
Later, Sean was in the kitchen and Tommy came in.
"Are... Are my dads like... Like, um, gay and stuff, too?" He asked Sean.
"Well, Thomas, I guess you'll have to ask them about that."
"Guess I won't do that..."
"Thomas, you can ask them whatever you want. They're your dads and I'm their dad. When they were your age they knew they could ask me anything. That's what dads are for, son."
"Woll, OK..." Tommy said making a mental note.
"Uncle Tim and Uncle Brett's youngest son, Kevin, will be a Senior at Craig next year. You should make friends with him. He'll help you," Sean said.
"Don't have any friends," Tommy said staring at the floor.
"Well, you will now. You can trust him. We'll have them over soon. Trust me, Tommy," Sean said.
"Guess I hafta..."
"No, you don't have to trust me, but we're setting you up to win. I know you've had a hard time, but that's over now. OK?"
"OK..." Tommy said, trying to smile.
Sean took that as at least some progress. He knew he had to make the boy feel comfortable around him. He liked the boy. It's not that Sean didn't want to like the boy. On the contrary, the little abused 14-year-old, or however old he was, was stealing Sean's heart with his big brown eyes, his moppy brown hair, and his cautious nature of answering anything Sean asked. Sean's heart went out to the boy. Sean had heard a summary of the boy's abuse and he knew it was only a summary. Sean would protect the boy.
But protecting a boy wasn't going to chase off Sean's black dog. Sean thought he would just have to do two things at once and protecting a boy and suffering what was probably clinical depression could exist in him at the same time.
Unknown to anyone else at that time, even to Brett, there was a reason why the clumsy attempt to get Brett and Tim to publicize their tax returns was scrapped, and it was that George Dickson two days earlier had paid a visit to a dank office just off Capitol Square in Madison.
Arriving unannounced, George asked for a brief meeting with the Chairman. He was met with incredulity. He was told he didn't have an appointment. George nodded, and with a courteous smile withdrew a business card from the breast pocket of his jacket and presented it to the still surly receptionist. He asked that the card be delivered to the Chairman and he would await a response.
A minute or two later, George was ushered in.
"Thanks for seeing me," George began. "I expect you'd like me to be brief, so I will be. I'm not here for me right now. I'm pretty sure you know who I am or you wouldn't have seen me. I'm the Governor's father-in-law. And I've got with me the summary of a dossier I thought you might find interesting. Here, take a look...'
"Yeah, I know who you are alright," the Chairman replied.
With that, George handed the Chairman a sheaf of about ten pieces of paper.
"Look it over and tell me what you think," George said.
After not more than two minutes George observed color draining from the Chairman's face.
"Let's get to the bottom line here," the Chairman said. "Whadya want..."
"I'm not gonna tell ya what I want," George answered. "I'm gonna tell ya how this is gonna go and then you are going to agree. You can see by those papers that you're living pretty high on the hog for a guy with what is ostensibly your salary and a rather modest travel allowance. Someone on your salary could not possibly have bought a 4,000 square-foot house for cash with 250 feet of lake frontage in Maple Bluff three years ago. Or drive a Mercedes S-class. Or belong to three Country Clubs. And someone with your income couldn't have investment accounts running into several million dollars since there's no indication of substantial other income, or any kind of inheritance or anything else that could explain that... Am I making myself clear?"
"Perfectly clear..."
"Good. What you're gonna do is you're gonna lay off on this bullshit to the Governor and his husband, who is my son, about their income tax returns. They're none of your fucking business. You're gonna drop the matter. A hundred percent. And so is everyone else in your party. And there's gonna be an article that says so in the State Journal. You're going to forget you ever thought of this crap. Completely. Forever. In exchange for that, I don't share the information I have with anyone else."
"What about..."
"I don't think you fully understand. I'm not asking. And I wasn't stuttering."
A few seconds passed.
"You're a son of a bitch! What fucking choice do I have..."
"I'm glad we could come to an agreement as gentlemen," George said, "Son of a bitch? I'm just an old country lawyer..."
"Well, your son might as well be the fucking Attorney General. That old retired Justice is just a beard..."
"That's bullshit, but I didn't come here to talk about the Governor's cabinet, or his family. I came to talk about the matter upon which it appears to me that you and I have already settled amicably. Am I correct, or incorrect?"
"I'm not an idiot. You're correct. But just for the record, Counselor, I drop it and you drop it. Right?"
"That is my understanding, but you need to remember one thing. And that is that while my son and son-in-law haven't done anything wrong, I do not believe that you can make any such claim. Do you believe that you can?"
"Bah!" the Chairman exclaimed. "I'm dropping it. I think we're done."
"It would appear so. For now, anyway..." George smiled and nodded. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Chairman. I'll see myself out. Oh, and by the way, I hope for your sake that you're not involved with anything else concerning the Governor and my son, either. Good day."
Morning came at the Northwoods cabin, and once breakfast was done Joey and Lennie announced as expected that they had to leave back to Janesville.
"When you get back," Sean said, "I'm gonna send you a list of people. I'd like them all to get written invitations to Thanksgiving dinner at the Alamo."
"At the ALAMO?" the twins said simultaneously?
"Yeah... I wanna get all the old gang together and the Alamo has the room and the facilities. We can do it there and I'll get some of the kids from the school to help. Probably need about maybe five of them, or so, and I'll pick the poorest kids and invite their families, too. If we use the dining room, the library and the bar we could probably seat close to a hundred people if we had to and it won't be that many I don't think. It'll work. Trust me. This is something I need to do..."
"It'll be fun, dad. And no one can lay on a meal like you can," They both said.
"Very well. Use the printing shop down on Franklin Street and make sure you deliver the invitations yourselves. In hand is best. Within two days. I'll contact the school in the next day or two."
"OK, then dad," Joey said. "You ready to hit the road, younger brother?" he said to Lennie.
"Let's saddle up!" Lennie replied.
"Tommy, be good for grandpa now and make sure to do all your homework or Mrs. Dickson will let us know!"
"I will..." Tommy said looking down and pawing the ground with one foot.
"Well, what should we do today, Thomas?" Sean asked once the Suburban cleared the driveway.
Tommy, trying not to appear timid but being so nonetheless and conflicted at being excited at the same time simply shrugged and said, "Were we gonna go back to that old cabin? That was cool! Can we see the inside this time? Can we, grandpa?"
Sean was startled. The shy, cowed, abused boy called him grandpa. Sean felt a lump in his throat. He fought to clear it. "Sure, Champ! How about we get ready and go in a few minutes. How's that sound? And bring a couple of pencils and some paper, too!"
"Woll... OK... You want me to make drawings?"
"You're prolly better at it than I am. I suck at drawing... So let's get what we need and take off then. I'm gonna give you a backpack and make sure you fill the canteen and there's a few extra articles of clothing in there, too... I'll pack mine and just so you know I'm bringing a gun just in case."
"A... A gun?"
"Ya never know... Prolly won't need it, but if we do then I got it."
Back in Janesville, Brad was finishing up his work and then would plan what he'd need to take with him when he went to visit Sean. He decided to ask Kevin.
"Hey, Kev man... What I need ta take with me for a few days?"
"Y... You... You're gonna n... need your laptop. And I'll email you w... with what w... work needs to be done. Don't worry. J... Just take a few days off..."
"OK, well, I gonna cut out now. I got an appointment at the Buick dealer..."
"N... new car?"
"Maybe..."
Brad gave Kevin a little shoulder slap and headed out. Kevin had always been a bit of an enigma to Brad. Friendly yet standoffish. Brilliant yet shy. But, Brad had to admit that Kevin had been a good boss all these years. He'd even seen to it that Brad had got additional professional training and was earning a well-into-six-figure salary. Brad knew that Kevin deemed Brad worth every penny and that a person with Brad's dedication and experience could earn twice as much in a big city. Kevin figured Brad knew all that anyway... Brad was, if nothing else, wily, and it was all part of their silent way of working together that puzzled everyone else.
Sean and Tommy arrived at the old, stone cabin. Sean dug out the bump key Tim gave him in case he wanted to get back in again. "Might take me a minute to bump the lock."
"You gonna pick the lock?"
"I guess you could call it that. See, it's OK, though. Uncle Tim owns this place and I have a lease on it which means I get to use it, but I don't own it. Uncle Tim gave me the lock pick... Nobody even knew this place was here. Maybe I should get new locks..."
Once inside, Sean said they might pause for a minute.
"OK, this is what I'd like to do. Let's take a walk through it just the way it is. Then let's go outside and I can tell you how I think the building should look. Then maybe we can go back and you can draw what you think the inside might look like? That OK?"
"OK..."
"Don't act so enthusiastic, Thomas!" Sean smirked.
"Sorry. I'll be better," Tommy said forlornly looking at the ground.
"Hey, Champ..." Sean said. "C'mere..."
Tommy looked up at Sean who had a hand held out.
Sean tousled Tommy's hair, looked at the half-scared kid and said, "Look, I know you don't really know me and right now you're stuck with me all alone out here in the middle of nowhere but everything's gonna be OK. I don't know all about you, but I know you had it really bad. My brother, your Uncle John, who I don't think you've met yet, did, too. I wasn't that much older than you are when I pulled him in out of a rainstorm. All beat up and with nowhere to go. He was scared just like you probably are. But you need to know that nobody's gonna hurt you. Ever again. I know your dads told you that. I know they did because they're my sons. And I know that a person can't just adjust to everything overnight. John didn't and you won't either, but just give it time. Everything's gonna be OK."
Tommy pawed at the ground with one foot. "You promise?" he asked Sean looking up at him with big, brown eyes.
"I promise, Champ. Now let's take a walk around and see what we think..."
Sean and Tommy spent almost three hours at the old stone cabin. Tommy made a few drawings of different rooms with some input from Sean, but mostly on his own. Sean was astounded at the quality of the drawings and how Tommy had captured all Sean's ideas just as Sean had thought of them.
"You know, your drawings are really good. Can I ask you a question?"
"Um... Yeah..."
"Don't take this the wrong way, but how could a boy with your background draw things that look like this? The rooms are exquisite, even the kitchen. There's even furniture..."
"Woll... Um..." Tommy stammered. "You ever been chained up in a dark basement for days with nuthin' to do? And no food and stuff?"
"Can't say that I have..."
"When I was chained up the only thing I had was my imagination. That's how I survived, I guess... I imagined shit..."
Sean gulped. His own problems seemed so small. So insignificant by comparison.
"So, how do you imagine this place?"
"Like a castle. A castle in the air. With big, sunny windows. And warm rooms. And where nobody's scared..."
"That's how I imagined it, too," Sean said. "Whadya say we go back now? You've got homework to do and I'll have dinner to get ready for us."
"OK, I don't mind homework. Mrs. Dickson makes it fun and she says I was behind but I'm not anymore. She says I'm an average student but that I work hard. I'm gonna be in High School next year. I hope nobody picks on me..."
"Well, remember I told you about Uncle Tim's son, Kevin, right?"
"Yeah..."
"And there's your Uncle John's daughter, too. So, you're gonna have two cousins, Kevin, who I already toldja about, and Uncle John and Aunt Kathleen's daughter, Maggie, who will be a Junior. You'll meet them soon enough, probably at Thanksgiving, and they'll see to it that you're set up to fit in and do well. I promise. Sometimes, and this is one of those times, where it ain't whatcha know it's who ya know. We will all protect you. That's my promise as your grandfather."
"I'll try, I promise. I promise I'll be good."
"Promise me that you'll be yourself. That's all anyone is ever gonna ask."
"Woll, OK, I guess... Dads were right. You're really nice."
"I got my problems same as you, Thomas. I've just been around the block a few more times is all... That's what I'm here for, for an older man's experience and advice."
Tommy appeared to be digesting what Sean had just told him, and he nodded his head.
"Can I see your drawings again?" Sean asked.
Little Tommy handed his sketches to Sean who eyed them intently.
"Could you reproduce these only bigger and in color?"
"I guess so... But I don't have bigger paper or colored pencils..."
"Tomorrow morning we're gonna go getcha some. You make a list of what you need. We'll go right after breakfast. Anyway, let's get back to the cabin now. I'll make us some dinner and while I'm doing that you can knock out your homework. Deal?"
"Yeah. I'm hungry!" Tommy said with some enthusiasm and a hint of a smile.
"You're a nice-looking kid when you smile, Thomas," Sean said. "I know it's not easy..."
"I think I'm getting better."
"One day at a time, son. Rome wasn't built in a day, you know..."
Back at the cabin, Tommy disappeared and completed his homework while Sean found what he needed and served up a meal of Filet Mignon medium rare with an as-close-as-he-could-get Bordelaise Sauce, grilled asparagus dressed with olive oil, sel gris, and garlic, and crispy-skinned baked potatoes with heavy dollops of butter, sour cream and cracked black pepper.
"Dig in!" Sean said.
Tommy inhaled the meal.
The next morning, Sean took Tommy to the Walmart in Rhinelander where they bought two folios of 18"x24" sketching paper, two sets of 72-color pencils and a box of sketching charcoal pencils.
"I never used stuff like this before..." Tommy said.
"Well, OK," Sean answered, "Maybe just take the easiest drawing first and see how it goes reproducing that. That way if you think you need to start over you won't lose so much time. But when we get back, get your homework out of the way first. Oh, and you know that Uncle Brad is coming up tomorrow... Have him look over your original sketches. He'll help you but he won't pester you. Put your imagination on paper, Tommy!"
"OK..." Tommy said and it didn't go unnoticed that for the first time Sean called him Tommy.
The next day, Tommy was just like clockwork. He got up, ate breakfast, spent two hours on his homework and then got to work on his sketches. He only took a break at noon when Sean called him for lunch which was Campbell's tomato bisque soup with old-fashioned grilled cheese sandwiches.
An hour later, Sean thought he heard a vehicle crunching down the gravel road and getting closer. He looked out the living room picture window and it was a car he didn't recognize as belonging to anyone he knew. It was a brand-new Buick Electra Limited. It was a deep blue, almost navy, color and it had the classic old-style Buick Rally Wheels. Buick had been enjoying something of a resurgence in recent years, and Sean thought the Electra was a stunner. Thoroughly modern in execution, the styling recalled the elegant 1959-1960 Buicks, long and low with canted fins in the rear and simple, flowing lines. The big car was a 2-door coupe and somehow, Buick had managed to graft the sweeping, reverse-curve window line of their 1957 Roadmaster Riviera onto the long, low 1959-1960 body style and make it all work. The car was mesmerizing. But whose car was it? And how did it get through the gate?
He needn't have waited long. The car pulled up and stopped. The driver's door swung open and out stepped the tall, lean figure of Brad. Brad was dressed in faded Levi's 501s, with leather boots, and a sweatshirt that hung loosely on his lanky frame. With his hair longer than Sean had seen it for a long time, and with the golden-brown wave in it. It looked like Brad had a single garnet stud earring in his left earlobe. He had on a pair of old-school Wayfarer sunglasses which made him look a little badass.
Sean felt a lump in his throat, but he walked outside to greet Brad.
"Hey, Brad, thanks for coming, man..."
"'Salright, Boss."
"You can call me Sean, ya know..."
"Like the car?"
"It's gorgeous. Tell me about it."
"Dunno too much. Just got it. Here the window sticker..."
"Brad, I heard you put on that hick way of talking just for me. How come?"
"Do it fer Kevin, too..." Brad snickered.
"Fair enough... Gimme the sticker."
Sean noted that the car was a current year model Buick Electra Limited. While most were battery-electric powered requiring a fixed charging station, this one was the extra-cost diesel- electric with a 1.4 liter 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine driving an AC generator keeping the batteries charged at all times and electric motors powering four wheels. The color was Deepwater Blue Metallic, a $1,500 option. Other options included the Stainless Steel exterior trim package, the Riviera Brougham interior package in cream-and blue leather and fabric with extra-cost genuine tiger oak wood trim, the Classic Analog Instrumentation and Center Console package, the Rally Wheels, hydropneumatic suspension, and more. If any Buick was the top-of- the-line for that year this one was it. In fact, the sticker price was well into the area of what a mid-range Cadillac or Mercedes would cost. Sean judged that the lines of the car were, while of contemporary proportions, a definite throwback to another time. Sean noted that the final assembly plant was Janesville, Wisconsin. The car was jaw-dropping.
"Brad, this car is incredible. It's beautiful..."
"Knew you'd like it. So, why am I here?"
"Can we talk about that later?" Sean asked, somewhat meekly.
"Of course we can. I'll drop the hick talk. I think I know anyway why I'm here." Looking Sean dead in the eye, Brad said, "If I didn't want to be here I wouldn't have come..."
Sean just gaped at Brad.
"Everything will be fine," Brad said, touching Sean's shoulder softly.
"Tommy's here and he'd like to see you..." Sean somewhat clumsily changed the subject.
"How's he doing?"
"He seems comfortable I think. He's working on some drawings. He can tell you all about it and he wants you to see them... You'll see the real thing of what he's drawing tomorrow."
END CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
*Vince Lombardi (1913-1970): Legendary head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 1959 to 1967. Took the Packers to NFL Championship victories in 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966 and 1967 and victories in the first two Super Bowls. The 1962 Green Bay Packers are regarded among the best NFL teams of all time. The NFL Super Bowl trophy is the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
**In an article in the next day's New York Times entitled "Wisconsin's Rock Star Governor," said, "The no-nonsense young Governor's speech, delivered within the hallowed grounds of Lambeau Field, was a stiletto to the heart of the opposition's hopes in the upcoming midterm elections."
***Certiorari: A writ, or order, by which a higher court reviews a decision of a lower court. Emergency Certiorari is where the Appellant asks the higher Court to review the matter more or less immediately. The higher Court is under no obligation to grant either certiorari or emergency certiorari.
****State Journal: The Wisconsin State Journal. A newspaper published in Madison, Wisconsin and the newspaper of record for the Wisconsin state government and a usual venue for political parties to make public announcements.