The capitol

I go home shaking information from my fingertips. I dip my fingers into the inkwell everyday. Projects and papers flow through my fingers leaving with details filled out and signatures of completion. I leave bits on the phone as I attach it to my ear for hours at a time. Nothing stays in my grasp for long. It comes and goes
Bit by bit
Moment after moment
I can only vaguely recall when asked, project by project, what is done.
Do not ask me about my day
Remembering is a chore

Terry was still on the phone when they pulled up to the hotel. Alex left him where he was, finishing up his conversation, while she went in to check them in. She was signing them in as she noticed “Adjoining rooms?” She paused pen mid signature “That’s not necessary. Actually I’d prefer a room on a different floor” She could just see ending up working well into the morning if she were that accessible.
“Not a problem” and the clerk bent back over his computer to make changes. Alex wondered. She was the one who made the arrangements. She hadn’t requested that. Maybe it was standard operating procedure. She couldn’t remember, had she said for her and her boss?
“There is also a message for you.” The clerk handed her a phone message along with the keys.
Terry,
I’m running late and can’t make it till one. I’ll meet you in the lobby between events.
David

Alex wondered who David was, how he knew Terry’s schedule, whether or not Terry would break off between meetings to come back for this person. She folded the paper and looked thru the glass doors. Terry was off the phone and walking towards the glass doors of the lobby followed by the driver with the bags. Alex met him at the door and handed him the phone message. She smiled towards the driver and took her bag from him handing him Terry’s room key. “Just give all that to the bell hop and let them know he’s in room 1221. We’ll be ready to leave again in 20 minutes. ”
“Alex” Terry called across the lobby to her “I have a meeting this afternoon between events. You or I will need to be back here at one” Terry crossed the lobby and they walked towards the elevator. “I’ll call the host and let them know you have to leave the luncheon early. They’ll have to start on time, you can speak at 12:30 and then go” Alex pushed 12 and 14. Terry looked at her “I’ve had you bags taken to your room. You are in 1221” They watched the floors creep slowly by. Alex wished she had gotten a garden room. Terry got off the elevator “I’ll freshen up and meet you back downstairs in twenty minutes”
Alex kicked off her shoes as she stepped inside the door. She was a no shoes kind of gal. It was mostly because she liked to sit on her feet. She caught herself in the car. At one point while Terry was on the phone she had slipped off her shoe to slide under her for a better writing surface but the leather had creaked under her weight and Terry had glanced over. Her foot had quickly retreated to her shoe. Alex fell into the chair and flung her overnight bag across to the bed as she reached for the phone. She called Willmon and told him something had come up and the luncheon would have to be a short and well-orchestrated visit. She twirled the phone cord.
“I know he’ll meet with you before the luncheon. No, no but you know how quickly these trips go” Alex was losing him. “Well he has a very important meeting that came up last minute. No he didn’t tell me who it was with. Usually when it’s like that it’s a politician. I believe the Governor is in town today. Could be. That’s how it goes you know. Last minute someone’s schedule breaks free. Well I didn’t say anything about it to you though. Right.”
She hung up. She maybe misled him, but since she didn’t know and it gave Willmon a way to save face, she guessed it would work out. After all it was all supposition on her part. Terry left the luncheon early enough to make it to his meeting late while Alex stayed to placate the host, mingle and collect checks. She called Terry on his cell as she left to let him know she would head straight over to the next event and set up. Willmon had taken great pleasure in introduced her around after the luncheon while she collected business cards. Everyone was happy to meet her and she made a few connections with big money. “He is in town just over night but maybe we could stop by and have a private meeting with you before we leave”. Alex could tell Willmon had taken Terry’s leave in stride and she knew it had been in part because he found her charming. When she had been about to leave: business cards pocket, calls to make for tomorrow listed and hands shaken, Willmon had grabbed her hand before she left the room. “I know a lot of politicians who could use someone like you. Keep me in your Rolodex and don’t forget me after the primaries. There are other campaigns you know.” Alex pondered his statement as the cab took her across town. Was he serious? She flipped through the cards looking for any politically motivated people. There were some people from out of state, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything. There were always out of state donors in the capital. Some one like me…she saw herself dog paddling to stay afloat, someone must see something else. Her cell phone buzzed. “Hello? I’m on my way Terry. You’re not there yet? I didn’t know you wanted me to call you during your meeting. I was with Willmon and the rest of your donors. Well it looks like ten grand in hand. So I’ll call them and then meet you there. Tell your driver to floor it.” She laughed and hung up. Her mind reading skills were slipping. Besides what was she supposed to do. “Oh, sorry to cut you off ‘Aid to the mayor of Pennsylvania’…I have to call my boss.” Well he probably would have understood, but the rest of them she doubted. Alex flipped through the cards again. Phil Dunkin. Yes she had spoken to him briefly but she didn’t recall making an impression, or maybe he was the one who hadn’t mad an impression. She tucked his car into her wallet next to Willmon’s unable to stop thinking about being scouted. The cell phone buzzed in her pocket again, looking at the number she flipped it open. “This is Alex. Oh you must be a mind reader, I was just thinking of calling you.” She paused and briefly chewed on her lip listening to the internal dialogue in her mind and the voice on the other end. “Oh no, everything is fine Willmon. After this next event I have nothing but work to do and I’d do almost anything to avoid that. Sure. How about the hotel bar about nine? See you then.” The cab pulled up outside the Kemper building and Alex scrabbled with papers, phone and cash. Alex hopped out just as Terry’s driver pulled up. There were two people in the back seat. Alex waved and Terry waved back leaning over and saying something to the other man as they approached the door. “Alex this is David. David, Alex” David grabbed her hand “I’ve heard so much about you. Terry thinks the world of you. Says you’ve gotten him organized and already raised almost a quarter of a million”
Alex looked at Terry then at David. Where did he, or either of them, get those numbers? Who was this person? She had no idea what to say. They passed through security and finally as they entered the elevator Alex said “Sorry I ran late too, but you know these office affairs don’t take much last minuet organization.” Terry turned to David “See she’s got this end under control. I need someone to help with image, policy, posters, buttons really everything else.” “A campaign Manager” Alex muttered, “That’s right. You’ve got her to thank. She’s been pushing for me to hire a Manager. She knows her stuff”
“Knowing what you need and recognizing your limitations is the first step. Knowing who to hire …” He winked at Terry “is the final step.” They laughed as the elevator door opened. Alex bristled a little at the “limitations” comment but at the same time was just so glad someone would be there to pick up the slack she extended her hand again as they left the elevator “Well, welcome aboard then.”