God of War
Lynn Jepsen
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"But business is business and business must grow, regardless of crummies
in tummies, you know. I meant no harm. I most truly did not. But I had to
grow bigger. So bigger I got--"
"Momma, is that like when Uncle Josh yelled at Mr. Stewart for taking
apart the mountain?"
I lean back against the door and listen to Lisa try and explain Josh's
aversion to George Stewart's mining operations, and how exactly it
compares to the Old Once-ler's Thneeds. I don't think I've heard this
story, which, you know, doesn't surprise me, because my parents were
never real big on bedtime stories, and so I lean against the wall outside
Elle's bedroom, and try to focus on Dr. Seuss before I kiss my daughter
goodnight, and ruin Lisa's evening.
"You're glumping the pond where the Humming-Fish hummed! No more can they
hum, for their gills are all gummed." Elle interrupts again to ask about
the fish in the Potomac. Apparently, when we let Josh bond with his
goddaughter, they're sharing long discussions of domestic policy. It's
actually a rather frightening thought. My five year old daughter
understands more about the policies and problems of this Administration
than the average voter... Then Elle snuggles deeper into her mother's
arms as Lisa manages a suitable explanation and proceeds with the story.
"Momma, is the Once-ler a bad guy?" I fully expect Lisa to say yes, but
instead, she says no, and I guess I should pay better attention, because
I must not understand the story. It's sad when I can't understand a
children's story.
"And at that very moment, we heard a loud whack! From outside in the
fields came a sickening smack of an axe on a tree. The we heard the tree
fall. The very last Truffula tree of them all!"
"Oh Momma! What will the Once-ler do now! He doesn't have any more trees!
Where is the Lorax going to live!" This is something for the history
books. I am literally listening to the creation of an environmentalist.
It's sort of neat actually, and I think I'm starting to understand the
story. Dr. Seuss was a wise man. Wait, nah, I don't think reading my
daughter's bedtime stories at the meeting on HR 248 would go over well.
"Now all that was left, 'neath the bad-smelling sky was my big empty
factory...the Lorax...and I." Elle is looking over the rim of the book
with wide eyes now, and I can tell she's struggling not to interrupt as
Lisa keeps reading.
They look so comfortable together. Elle in her green and blue Marvin the
Martian pajamas - the kind with feet. She looks positively cozy, but
that's nothing compared to Lisa, dressed in one of my tee shirts and a
pair of tights. My wife, at fifty-two, has nothing on women half her age
- at least in my eyes. "But now, says the Once-ler, Now that you're here,
the word of the Lorax seems perfectly clear. Unless someone like you
cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." I
slip into the room then, and Lisa smiles warmly in my direction. Leaning
over her, I read the last page of the story, as Elle watches, rapt.
"So... Catch! calls the Once-ler. He let's something fall. It's a
Truffula Seed. It's the last one of all! You're in charge of the last of
the Truffula Seeds. And Truffula Trees are what everyone needs. Plant a
new Truffula. Treat it with care. Give it clean water. And feed it fresh
air. Grow a forest. Protect it from axes that hack. Then the Lorax and
all of his friends may come back." Lisa closes the book then, and we tuck
a bouncy blond into bed, her stuffed donkey in one hand, and her blankie
in the other. "Daddy?" I turn back at the door, and ask softly what she
needs. I expect her to ask for another goodnight kiss, or for her mother
to sit with her, or for a glass of water. Instead, she snuggles deeper
under the covers with her donkey and asks me if she can plant a tree
tomorrow.
Lisa frowns. I know I'm back early, but I'm heading back over in a few
minutes. I just... I wanted to remind myself why I do this. "Sam?" I slip
my hand into hers, and pause outside our bedroom. Josh is calling the
staff back. The Joint Chiefs are meeting with him in the Situation Room,
but it doesn't matter. I've already talked to State. It's for real this
time. I'm going to go back to the Oval and they're going to tell me all
the reasons I should declare war. "Is there anything I can do?" I glance
between Elle's bedroom and Lisa's upturned face for a long time before I
nod. Change clothes and come back with me. Josh and I will be busy
and.... I don't have to finish that thought. She's used to sitting on my
staff and making things happen. Sometimes I think she's in the West Wing
more than the East, but then again, she's quick to tell me that there has
yet to be a problem bigger than "who won the office pool" on her side of
the building. Besides, Zoey can run the entire East Wing by herself.
That's a great perk to have in a Chief of Staff.
She's sets Elle's new book on the side table, and vanishes into the
bedroom. I can hear the closet doors opening and closing, and I sit down
on the couch to wait. The Lorax. I guess I missed out on the Dr. Seuss
phenomenon. Lisa's mother sent Elle and Joe the complete Dr. Seuss
collection. I hear the agents bustling at the door, and CJ peeks her head
in, Joe sleeping on her shoulder. "Is there somewhere I can...." I nod in
the direction of the guest room, and she vanishes into it, tucking Joe
into bed for the duration of the crisis, or until morning, whichever
comes first.
So Claudia Jean, did you know Dr. Seuss was a democrat? She gives me a
puzzled look then, and pauses on her way back out the door. "Where'd that
come from?" I hold up Elle's book then, and smile. He wrote a book on
deforestation. Go figure. Now, do you think he wrote one on how to answer
the sinking of a USN vessel? She shakes her head then, but I'm not
surprised. Nothing's easy in this job. Why should this be any different?
May 21, 2015. I pray this isn't a day that will live in infamy.
Part 2
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