that. What you and I have to do is find a way to keep order in the kitchen and the First Family happy and well fed. In the meantime, I think we ought to try to persuade our guests to lighten up and take in the town as tourists. A little free time couldn’t hurt.”
“They don’t strike me as the type who know how to lighten up.”
I chose not to share Sargeant’s suggestion about Bucky taking charge of the kitchen, with me assuming more of a backseat role. Even though I had no intention of implementing the idea, right about now my assistant was too worked up for me to mention it. “Let’s take this one day at a time, shall we?”
* * *
Sargeant sent an e-mail, detailing specifics for candidate Kerry Freiberg’s dinner. To my surprise, it had been decided that the affair would be hosted at Blair House.
Blair House was an opulent residence on Pennsylvania Avenue across from the White House. It was purchased by the United States during World War II when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt decided that guests were best accommodated elsewhere. Legend has it that this determination was made after Eleanor Roosevelt happened upon frequent guest Winston Churchill wandering the White House corridors at three in the morning, looking for Franklin to chat with.
From that point on, Blair House became the first choice for providing dignitaries with elegant accommodations. Through the years, adjacent buildings were acquired, walls were torn down, and renovations were made, turning four separate structures into one stately residence. Harry Truman and his family lived in Blair House for a good portion of his presidency while the White House—which had fallen into sad disrepair—was gutted and refurbished.
According to Sargeant, the location was ideal for Kerry Freiberg’s visit. Blair House provided an informal and warm setting to host dinner for the visiting dignitary without raising the ire of those who would question the president entertaining at the White House during the government shutdown.
Later that day, Bucky and I presented a new agenda to our chefs, one that allowed them a bit more free time.
“Our original schedule had the four of you here every day, from about eight in the morning until about four in the afternoon.” I made eye contact with them as I spoke. “And you all had rotating time off.” At this point, I hadn’t told them anything they didn’t already know. “With Marcel out of the picture, Bucky and I have come up with a new plan, one that will give you more free time to explore the city.”
I went on to cover the specifics of the schedule, with Bucky chiming in to clarify as needed.
Their reaction was mixed. Kilian nodded often. I thought I detected a gleam of interest in his expression.
“Remember,” I said, “this is only a possibility. If we’re able to bring back Marcel, even if he’s stuck working one-handed for a while, we’ll revert to our original plan.”
Nate and Hector kept nodding as Bucky and I talked, but otherwise showed no reaction. I got the feeling they didn’t completely comprehend.
Tibor, however, understood. He practically scalded me with a look of disgust. “We do not come here to waste time. We came here to benefit Saardisca.” He flung his hands up, fingers extended like ten tense exclamation points. He cast his gaze about the room, looking for support from his colleagues.
Hector and Nate exchanged a confused glance and whispered to each other, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
Kilian tried to quiet Tibor’s rant. “This could be a very good chance for us,” he said in a calming voice. He then lapsed into Saardiscan and spoke so quickly that I couldn’t even get a sense of what the message was. Was he chastising his colleague? Was he in agreement with Tibor but asking the man to cooperate? There were times I believed I could understand anyone, no matter the language. Body movement, tone, and expression all combine to provide
“They don’t strike me as the type who know how to lighten up.”
I chose not to share Sargeant’s suggestion about Bucky taking charge of the kitchen, with me assuming more of a backseat role. Even though I had no intention of implementing the idea, right about now my assistant was too worked up for me to mention it. “Let’s take this one day at a time, shall we?”
* * *
Sargeant sent an e-mail, detailing specifics for candidate Kerry Freiberg’s dinner. To my surprise, it had been decided that the affair would be hosted at Blair House.
Blair House was an opulent residence on Pennsylvania Avenue across from the White House. It was purchased by the United States during World War II when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt decided that guests were best accommodated elsewhere. Legend has it that this determination was made after Eleanor Roosevelt happened upon frequent guest Winston Churchill wandering the White House corridors at three in the morning, looking for Franklin to chat with.
From that point on, Blair House became the first choice for providing dignitaries with elegant accommodations. Through the years, adjacent buildings were acquired, walls were torn down, and renovations were made, turning four separate structures into one stately residence. Harry Truman and his family lived in Blair House for a good portion of his presidency while the White House—which had fallen into sad disrepair—was gutted and refurbished.
According to Sargeant, the location was ideal for Kerry Freiberg’s visit. Blair House provided an informal and warm setting to host dinner for the visiting dignitary without raising the ire of those who would question the president entertaining at the White House during the government shutdown.
Later that day, Bucky and I presented a new agenda to our chefs, one that allowed them a bit more free time.
“Our original schedule had the four of you here every day, from about eight in the morning until about four in the afternoon.” I made eye contact with them as I spoke. “And you all had rotating time off.” At this point, I hadn’t told them anything they didn’t already know. “With Marcel out of the picture, Bucky and I have come up with a new plan, one that will give you more free time to explore the city.”
I went on to cover the specifics of the schedule, with Bucky chiming in to clarify as needed.
Their reaction was mixed. Kilian nodded often. I thought I detected a gleam of interest in his expression.
“Remember,” I said, “this is only a possibility. If we’re able to bring back Marcel, even if he’s stuck working one-handed for a while, we’ll revert to our original plan.”
Nate and Hector kept nodding as Bucky and I talked, but otherwise showed no reaction. I got the feeling they didn’t completely comprehend.
Tibor, however, understood. He practically scalded me with a look of disgust. “We do not come here to waste time. We came here to benefit Saardisca.” He flung his hands up, fingers extended like ten tense exclamation points. He cast his gaze about the room, looking for support from his colleagues.
Hector and Nate exchanged a confused glance and whispered to each other, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
Kilian tried to quiet Tibor’s rant. “This could be a very good chance for us,” he said in a calming voice. He then lapsed into Saardiscan and spoke so quickly that I couldn’t even get a sense of what the message was. Was he chastising his colleague? Was he in agreement with Tibor but asking the man to cooperate? There were times I believed I could understand anyone, no matter the language. Body movement, tone, and expression all combine to provide
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