"You are in no position to ask for anything."
"I'm not asking. I'm telling." Where did she get the gumption, she asked herself. Then it occurred to her;<MI> I'm not a politician, I want to see things get fixed.<D> "I will take issue with you, take you on publicly, if necessary. I was Presi- dent of the PTA for 8 years. I am fluent in dealing with bitches of every size and shape. You're just a bastard."
****************************************************************
Chapter 21
Friday, January 8
Washington, D.C.
As the hour is late, I am tempted to call a recess until tomorrow morning," Senator Merrill Rickfield said congenially from the center seat of the hearing room dais. His blow up with Nancy left him in a rage, but he ably disguised the anger by replacing it with overcompensated manners.
"However," he continued, "I understand that we scheduled someone to speak to us who has to catch a plane back to California?" Rickfield quickly glanced about the formal dais to espy someone who could help him fill in the details. Ken Boyers was engrossed in conversation and had to be prodded to respond. "Ken," Rick- field whispered while covering the microphone with his hand. He leaned over and behind his seat. "Is that right, this True Blue guy flew in for the day and he's out tonight?"
Ken nodded. "Yes, it was the only way we could get him."
"What makes him so bloody important?" Rickfield acted edgy.
"He's one of the software industry's leading spokesman. He owns dGraph," Ken said, making it sound like he was in on a private joke.