Guys Who Click The Background Links are Few and Far Between
“I just felt… I heard that no one really sat down with you after you …”
“After I was fired."
Eugene was so surprised by Craig Deare's directness that he nearly spit out the coffee he was drinking. Craig was an army guy, and, I mean, Eugene liked army guys—they understood respect and organization and knew tons of acronyms, all of which was right up Eugene’s alley. They also were trained to kill people, however, and Eugene was the kind of guy who fainted while watching Full Metal Jacket.
“Yeah, I guess I thought you deserved an exit interview.”
“Why?”
“It just seemed kind of wrong.”
“I criticized the President, he doesn’t it like it when people do that.”
“Yeah, but-”
“This meeting isn’t official, is it? Trump didn’t send you here, did he?”
They were in a diner, one pro of being the guys who actually do the work of governance is that they could hold meetings in public; no one actually knows what those guys look like and very few people care to find out.
“No, it isn’t.”
“You just felt bad.”
“You have a really distinguished history of service. It just seemed disrespectful.”
“How did you end up working at the White House?”
“I was hired by Obama. I got grandfathered in because the Trump Administration never replaced me.”
“What is your position?”
“I analyze data, provide historical context to the current political events, write reports on the possible impacts of different policies decisions.”
“Oh. You’re the White House Nerd.”
“Yeah…”
“So how’s your life been for the last month?”
“… not great.”
“Does that give you any context for why I might not be too heartbroken about getting fired?”
Eugene’s blood pressure started to go up. He tried to bury the rage, as he had learned in middle school, but it was sneaking up on him. “You can’t just friggin’ give up!” Eugene’s face was quickly turning red. “Your job was to advise the President on the Western Hemisphere. Now who is going to do that? What if something happens before you can be replaced?! We don’t even have a National Security Advisor!!!”
“The President sucks at his job. If you got tips on how to polish a turd, fill me in; but if not, I think I am going to direct my talents elsewhere.”
“But what about America!?!?!” Everyone in the diner got quiet when Eugene called this out.
“It has survived worse.” Craig said.
“But it shouldn’t have to.”
“How has government service not taught you that things don't happen just because they, ‘should?’”
Eugene stared at his coffee and thought about this. It has been awhile since learning something new did not comfort him.