‘In Washington?’
‘Yes, in Washington.’
‘Hundreds.’
‘Hundreds?’ Florentyna repeated in disbelief.
‘Not as bad as some cities. New York they throw you in jail as quick as look at you. When are you thinking of going, lady?’ he said, eyeing her suspiciously.
‘Soon. May I ask—’
‘You ask too many questions, so it’s my turn. Okay if I have the paper when you leave?’
‘The Washington Post?’
‘Good quality, that,’ said Danny.
‘You read it?’
‘No.’ He laughed. ‘I wrap myself up in it. Keeps me warm as a hamburger if I stay very still.’
She passed him the paper. She stood up and smiled at Danny, noticing for the first time that he had only one leg.
‘Wouldn’t have a quarter to spare an old soldier?’
Florentyna rummaged through her bag. She had only a ten-dollar bill and thirty-seven cents in change. She handed the money to Danny.
He stared at her offering in disbelief. ‘There’s enough here for both Matt and me to have some real food,’ he exclaimed. The tramp paused and looked at her more closely. ‘I know you, lady,’ Danny said suspiciously. ‘You’re that senator lady. Matt always says he’s going to get an appointment with you and explain a thing or two about how you spend government money. But I told him what those little receptionists do when they see the likes of us walk in — they call the cops and grab the Lysol. Don’t even ask us to sign the guest book. I told Matt not to waste his valuable time.’
Florentyna watched Danny as he began to make himself comfortable on his bench, covering himself very expertly with the Washington Post. ‘Any case, I told him you would be much too busy to bother with him and so would the other ninety-nine.’ He turned his back on the distinguished senator from Illinois and lay very still. Florentyna said good night before walking down the steps to the street where she was met by a policeman outside the entrance to the underground parking lot.
‘The man on that bench?’
‘Yes, Senator,’ said the officer. ‘Danny, Danny One-Leg; he didn’t cause you any trouble, I hope?’
‘No, not at all,’ said Florentyna. ‘Does he sleep there every night?’
‘Has for the past ten years, which is how long I’ve been on the force. Cold nights, he moves to a grate behind the Capitol. He’s harmless enough, not like some of those at the back of lot sixteen.’
Florentyna lay awake the rest of the night only nodding off occasionally as she thought about Danny One-Leg and the hundreds suffering from the same plight as his. At seven-thirty the next morning she was back in her office on Capitol Hill. The first person to arrive, at eight-thirty, was Janet and she was shocked to find Florentyna’s head buried in The Modern Welfare Society by Arthur Quern. Florentyna looked up.
‘Janet, I want all the current unemployment figures, broken down into states, and then into ethnic groups. I also need to know, with the same breakdowns, how many people are on social security and what percentage have not worked for over two years. Then I want you to find out how many of them have served in the armed forces. Compile a list of every leading authority — You’re crying, Janet.’
‘Yes, I am,’ she said.
Florentyna came from behind her desk and put her arms around her. ‘It’s over, my dear. Let’s forget the past and get this show back on the road.’
Chapter thirty-three
It took everyone in Congress only a month to discover that Senator Kane was back with a vengeance. And when the President phoned her personally, she knew that her attacks on his Fresh Approach were coming home to the one house where things could be changed.
‘Florentyna, I’m eighteen months away from Election Day and you’re taking my Fresh Approach campaign apart. Do you want the Republicans to win the next election?’
‘No, of course not, but with your Fresh Approach we only spent in one year on welfare what we spent on defense in six weeks. Do you realize how many people in this country don’t even eat one square meal a day?’
‘Yes, Florentyna, I do—’
‘Do you also know what the figures are for people who sleep on the streets each night in America? Not India, not Africa, not Asia. I’m talking about America. And how many of those people haven’t had a job in ten years — not ten weeks or ten months but ten years, Mr. President?’
‘Florentyna, whenever you call me Mr. President I know I’m in trouble. What do you of all people expect me to do? You have always been among those Democrats who advocate a strong defense program.’
‘And I still do, but there are millions of people across America who wouldn’t give a damn if the Russians came marching down Pennsylvania Avenue right now, because they don’t believe they could be any worse off.’
‘I hear what you’re saying, but you’ve become a hawk in dove’s clothing, and statements like the one you just made may make wonderful headlines for you, but what do you expect me to do about it?’
‘Set up a Presidential commission to look into how our welfare money is spent. I already have three of my staff working on it and I intend to present some of the horrors they are unearthing about misuse of funds before a hearing at the earliest date. I can promise you, Mr. President, the figures will make your hair curl.’
‘Have you forgotten I’m nearly bald, Florentyna?’ She laughed. ‘I like the idea of a commission.’ The President paused. ‘I could even float the concept at my next press conference.’
‘Why don’t you do that, Mr. President. And tell them about the man who’s been sleeping on a bench for thirteen years little more than a stone’s throw from the White House while you slumbered in the Lincoln bedroom. A man who lost a leg in Vietnam and doesn’t even know he is entitled to sixty-three dollars a week compensation from the Veterans Administration. And if he did, he wouldn’t know how to collect it, because his local VA office is in Texas, and if in an inspired moment they decided to send a check to him where would they address it? A park bench, near the Capitol?’
‘Danny One-Leg,’ said the President.
‘So you know about Danny?’
‘Who doesn’t? He’s had more good publicity in two weeks than I’ve had in two years. I’m even considering an amputation. I fought for my country in Vietnam, you know.’
‘And you’ve managed to take care of yourself ever since.’
‘Florentyna, if I set up a Presidential commission on welfare, will you give it your support?’
‘I certainly will, Mr. President.’
‘And will you stop attacking Texas?’
‘That was unfortunate. A junior researcher of mine discovered Danny had come from Texas, but do you realize that in spite of the illegal immigrant problem, over twenty percent of the people of Texas have an annual income of less than—?’
‘I know, I know, Florentyna, but you seem to forget that my Vice President comes from Houston and he hasn’t had a day’s rest since Danny One-Leg hit the front pages.’
‘Poor old Pete,’ said Florentyna. ‘He will be the first Vice President who has had something to worry about other than where his next meal is coming from.’
‘And you mustn’t be hard on Pete, he plays his role.’
‘You mean balances the ticket so that you can stay in the White House.’
‘Florentyna, you’re a wicked lady and I warn you that I intend to open my press conference next Thursday by saying I have come up with a brilliant idea.’
‘You’ve come up with the idea?’
‘Yes,’ said the President. ‘There must be some compensation for taking the heat all the time. I repeat that I have come up with this brilliant idea of a Presidential commission on Waste in Welfare and’ — the President hesitated for a minute — ‘that Senator Kane has agreed to be the chairman. Now will that keep you quiet for a few days?’