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Ryan grunted。 〃Yeah； I have to remember all the people who'd like to see me dead。〃
〃My job to think about that； sir； not yours；〃 Price…O'Day told him。
〃Except when you won't let me go shopping or to a movie。〃 Neither Ryan nor his family was entirely used to the restrictions imposed on the life of the President of the United States or his immediate family members。 It was getting especially tough on Sally； who'd started dating （which was hard on her father）； and dating was difficult with a lead car and a chase car （when the young gentleman drove himself） or an official car with a driver and a second armed agent up front （when he did not）； and guns all over the place。 It tended to restrain the young gentlemen in question … and Ryan hadn't told his daughter that this was just fine with him； lest she stop speaking to him for a week or so。 Sally's Principal Agent； Wendy Merritt； had proven to be both a good Secret Service agent and a superb big sister of sorts。 They spent at least two Saturdays per month shopping with a reduced detail … actually it wasn't reduced at all； but it appeared so to Sally Ryan when they went out to Tyson's Corner or the Annapolis Mall for the purpose of spending money； something for which all women seemed to have a genetic predisposition。 That these shopping expeditions had been planned days in advance； with every site scouted by the Secret Service； and a supplementary detail of young agents selected for their relative invisibility who showed up there an hour before SHADOW's arrival； had never occurred to Sally Ryan。 That was just as well； as the dating problems grated on her badly enough； along with being followed around St。 Mary's School in Annapolis by the rifle squad； as she sometimes termed it。 Little Jack； on the other hand； thought it was pretty neat； and had recently learned to shoot at the Secret Service Academy in Beltsville； Maryland； with his father's permission （and something he'd not allowed the press to learn； lest he get hammered on the front page of The New York Times for the social indiscretion of encouraging his own son to touch； much less actually to fire； something so inherently evil as a pistol！）。 Little Jack's Principal Agent was a kid named Mike Brennan； a South Boston Irishman； a third…generation Secret Service agent with fiery red hair and a ready laugh； who'd played baseball at Holy Cross and frequently played catch and pepper with the President's son on the South Lawn of the White House。
〃Sir； we never don't let you do anything；〃 Price said。
〃No； you're pretty subtle about it；〃 Ryan allowed。 〃You know that I'm too considerate of other people； and when you tell me about all the crap you people have to go through so that I can buy a burger at Wendy's； I usually back off。。。 like a damned wimp。〃 The President shook his head。 Nothing frightened him more than the prospect that he'd somehow get used to all this panoply of 〃specialness；〃 as he thought of it。 As though he'd only recently discovered royal parentage； and was now to be treated like a king； hardly allowed to wipe his own ass after taking a dump。 Doubtless some people who'd lived in this house had gotten used to it； but that was something John Patrick Ryan； Sr。； wanted to avoid。 He knew that he was not all that special； and not deserving of all this folderol。。。 and besides； like every other man in the world； when he woke up in the morning the first thing he did was head to the bathroom。 Chief Executive he might be； but he still had a working…class bladder。 And thank God for that； the President of the United States reflected。
〃Where's Robby today？〃
〃Sir； the Vice President is in California today； the Navy base at Long Beach； giving a speech at the shipyard。〃
Ryan grinned a little sideways。 〃I work him pretty hard； don't I？〃
〃That's the Vice President's job；〃 Arnie van Damm said from the door。 〃And Robby's a big boy about it；〃 added the President's Chief of Staff。
〃Your vacation was good for you；〃 Ryan observed。 He had a very nice tan。 〃What did you do？〃
〃Mainly I laid on the beach and read all the books I haven't had time for。 Thought I'd die of boredom；〃 van Damm added。
〃You actually thrive on this crap； don't you？〃 Jack asked； a little incredulous at the thought。
〃It's what I do； Mr。 President。 Hey； Andrea；〃 he added with a slight turn of the head。
〃Good morning； Mr。 van Damm。〃 She turned to Jack。 〃That's all I have for you this morning。 If you need me； I'll be in the usual place。〃 Her office was in the Old Executive Office Building； just across the street； and upstairs from the new Secret Service mand post； called JOC； for Joint Operations Center。
〃Okay； Andrea； thanks。〃 Ryan nodded； as she withdrew into the secretaries' room； from which she'd head down to the Secret Service mand Post。 〃Arnie； get some coffee？〃
〃Not a bad idea； boss。〃 The Chief of Staff took his usual seat and poured a cup。 The coffee in the White House was especially good； a rich blend； about half Colombian and half Jamaica Blue Mountain； the sort of thing that Ryan could get used to as President。 There had to be some place he could buy this after escaping from his current job； he hoped。
〃Okay； I've had my national security brief and my Secret Service brief。 Now tell me about politics for the day。〃
〃Hell； Jack； I've been trying to do that for over a year now； and you still aren't getting it very well。〃
Ryan allowed his eyes to flare at the simulated insult。 〃That's a cheap shot； Arnie。 I've been studying this crap pretty hard； and even the damned newspapers say I'm doing fairly well。〃
〃The Federal Reserve is doing a brilliant job of handling the economy； Mr。 President； and that has damned little to do with you。 But since you are the President； you get credit for all the good things that happen； and that's nice； but do remember； you will also get the blame for all the bad things that are going to happen … and some will； remember that … because you just happen to be here； and the citizens out there think you can make the rain fall on their flowers and the sun e out for their picnics just by wishing it so。
〃You know； Jack；〃 the Chief of Staff said after sipping his coffee。 〃We really haven't got past the idea of kings and queens。 A lot of people really do think you have that sort of personal power …〃
〃But I don't； Arnie； how can that be？〃
〃It just is the truth； Jack。 It doesn't have to make sense。 It just is。 Deal with it。〃
I do so love these lessons； Ryan thought to himself。 〃Okay； today is。。。？〃
〃Social Security。〃
Ryan's eyes relaxed。 〃I've been reading up on that。 The third rail of American political life。 Touch it and die。〃
For the next half hour； they discussed what was wrong and why； and the irresponsibility of the Congress； until Jack sat back with a sigh。
〃Why don't they learn； Arnie？〃
〃What do they need to learn？〃 Arnie asked； with the grin of a Washington insider； one of the anointed of God。 〃They've been elected。 They must know it all already！ How else do you think they got here？〃
〃Why the hell did I allow myself to stay in this damned place？〃 the President asked rhetorically。
〃Because you had a conscience attack and decided to do the right thing for your country