to me were inaccurate and wasted the valuable time ofeveryone here. I promise you it will never happen again.” She turnedagain to her aide. Pat could read Abigail’s lips: “You’re fired.” Thegirl slipped out of her chair and left the hearing room, tears runningdown her cheeks.Inwardly Pat groaned. The hearing was being televised—anyoneseeing the exchange would surely have felt sympathy for the youngassistant.When the hearing was over, Abigail hurried back to her office. Itwas obvious that everyone there knew what had happened. Thesecretaries and aides in the outer office did not lift their heads as sheroared through. The hapless girl who had made the error was staringout the window, futilely dabbing at her eyes.“In here, Philip,” Abigail snapped. “You too, Pat. You might aswell get a full picture of what goes on in this place.”She sat down at her desk. Except for the paleness of her featuresand the tight set of her lips, she appeared totally composed. “Whathappened, Philip?” she asked, her tone level.
68
Even Philip had lost his usual calm. He gulped nervously as hestarted to explain. “Senator, the other girls just talked to me. Eileen’shusband walked out on her a couple of weeks ago. From what theytell me, she’s been in a terrible state. She’s been with us three years,and as you know, she’s one of our best aides. Would you considergiving her a leave of absence until she pulls herself together? Sheloves this job.”“Does she, indeed? Loves it so much she lets me make a fool ofmyself in a televised hearing? She’s finished, Philip. I want her outof here in the next fifteen minutes. And consider yourself lucky you’renot fired too. When that report was late, it was up to you to dig for thereal reason for the problem. With all the brainy people hungry forjobs, including mine, do you think I intend to leave myself vulnerablebecause I’m surrounded by deadwood?”“No, Senator,” Philip mumbled.“There are no second chances in this office. Have I warned mystaff about that?”“Yes, Senator.”“Then get out of here and do as you’re told.”“Yes, Senator.”Wow! Pat thought. No wonder Philip was so on guard with her.She realized the Senator was looking over at her.“Well, Pat,” Abigail said quietly, “I suppose you think I’m an ogre?”She did not wait for an answer. “My people know if they have apersonal problem and can’t handle their job, their responsibility is toreport it and arrange for a leave of absence. That policy is in effect toprevent this sort of occurrence. When a staff member makes a mistake,it reflects on me. I have worked too hard, for too many years, to becompromised by anyone else’s stupidity. And Pat, believe me, if they’lldo it once, they’ll do it again. And now, for God’s sake, I’m due onthe front steps to have my picture taken with a Brownie troop!”
69
10
At a quarter to five, a secretary timidly knocked on the door ofAbigail’s office. “A call for Miss Traymore,” she whispered.It was Sam. The reassuring heartiness of his voice boosted Pat’sspirits immediately. She had been unsettled by the unpleasant episode,by the abject misery in the young woman’s face.“Hello, Sam.” She felt Abigail’s sharp glance.“My spies told me you’re on the Hill. How about dinner?”“Dinner . . . I can’t, Sam. I’ve got to work tonight.”“You also have to eat. What did you have for lunch? One ofAbigail’s hard-boiled eggs?”She tried not to laugh. The Senator was dearly listening to her endof the conversation.“As long as you don’t mind eating fast and early,” she compromised.“Fine with me. How about if I pick you up outside the Russellbuilding in half an hour?”When Pat hung up, she looked over at Abigail.“Have you reviewed all the material we gave you?—the films?”Abigail demanded.“No.”“Some of them?”“No,” Pat admitted. Oh, boy, she thought. I’m glad I don’t workfor you,
68
Even Philip had lost his usual calm. He gulped nervously as hestarted to explain. “Senator, the other girls just talked to me. Eileen’shusband walked out on her a couple of weeks ago. From what theytell me, she’s been in a terrible state. She’s been with us three years,and as you know, she’s one of our best aides. Would you considergiving her a leave of absence until she pulls herself together? Sheloves this job.”“Does she, indeed? Loves it so much she lets me make a fool ofmyself in a televised hearing? She’s finished, Philip. I want her outof here in the next fifteen minutes. And consider yourself lucky you’renot fired too. When that report was late, it was up to you to dig for thereal reason for the problem. With all the brainy people hungry forjobs, including mine, do you think I intend to leave myself vulnerablebecause I’m surrounded by deadwood?”“No, Senator,” Philip mumbled.“There are no second chances in this office. Have I warned mystaff about that?”“Yes, Senator.”“Then get out of here and do as you’re told.”“Yes, Senator.”Wow! Pat thought. No wonder Philip was so on guard with her.She realized the Senator was looking over at her.“Well, Pat,” Abigail said quietly, “I suppose you think I’m an ogre?”She did not wait for an answer. “My people know if they have apersonal problem and can’t handle their job, their responsibility is toreport it and arrange for a leave of absence. That policy is in effect toprevent this sort of occurrence. When a staff member makes a mistake,it reflects on me. I have worked too hard, for too many years, to becompromised by anyone else’s stupidity. And Pat, believe me, if they’lldo it once, they’ll do it again. And now, for God’s sake, I’m due onthe front steps to have my picture taken with a Brownie troop!”
69
10
At a quarter to five, a secretary timidly knocked on the door ofAbigail’s office. “A call for Miss Traymore,” she whispered.It was Sam. The reassuring heartiness of his voice boosted Pat’sspirits immediately. She had been unsettled by the unpleasant episode,by the abject misery in the young woman’s face.“Hello, Sam.” She felt Abigail’s sharp glance.“My spies told me you’re on the Hill. How about dinner?”“Dinner . . . I can’t, Sam. I’ve got to work tonight.”“You also have to eat. What did you have for lunch? One ofAbigail’s hard-boiled eggs?”She tried not to laugh. The Senator was dearly listening to her endof the conversation.“As long as you don’t mind eating fast and early,” she compromised.“Fine with me. How about if I pick you up outside the Russellbuilding in half an hour?”When Pat hung up, she looked over at Abigail.“Have you reviewed all the material we gave you?—the films?”Abigail demanded.“No.”“Some of them?”“No,” Pat admitted. Oh, boy, she thought. I’m glad I don’t workfor you,
Similar Books
