THE PUPPET SHOW
(143 Words)
Sam was easy to talk to, easy to confide in. Josh was once weak around him.
What seemed a lifetime ago, there was a drunken confession, a blundering overstep. The clumsy, alcohol-laden kiss aborted by two firm hands on his shoulders. Beautiful hands with long, slender fingers. "I'm flattered, Josh, but I'm not …"
After that, Josh feared Sam. And he desired him. And he hated him.
Josh tried to regain a tenuous control on the strings of their friendship. For years he pushed Sam away and pulled him back like a marionette, wanting him never too close, but never too far away.
In the end, when Sam left the White House, Josh realized that he hadn't controlled anything at all. Sam was there when he wanted to be, and wasn't when he didn't.
There were no strings, and no goodbyes between them.
A NEW MAN
(148 Words)
"The President and Leo agreed you'd be promoted to Senior Counselor."
"That's crap, Toby. I was already a Senior Counselor."
All the weak handshakes, the false smiles, and the empty platitudes about dusting oneself off and climbing back aboard a metaphorical horse were finally done. Only the two men remained in the overlarge, darkened ballroom, nursing a bottle of Jack Daniels.
"We still need you, Sam."
The younger man drained the last of the liquid in his glass, then stood up and grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair.
"I don't need you. Or the White House, or the Party." Sam sighed and shook his head. "The Democrats are dying, Toby. You'd better go home." He turned and began to walk away.
"What the hell are you going to do, Sam?"
With a smile, Sam called out over his shoulder, "I'm going to buy a boat."
REAL ME
(150 words)
None of the senior staff ever knew that Sam always kept up with Laurie by email and cell phone. That he purposely chose not to postpone his Christmas travel plans to meet with Stanley Keyworth because he was so angry with Josh. That he had sex with Ainsley nine times. That on the night of Bartlet's fourth State of the Union, he met Lisa in her hotel room later to apologize, and hit the sheets for old time's sake. That he always hung up when he called his father and the girlfriend answered the phone. That he spent every spare day off for four months with the clean up crew in Rehoboth Beach after the Kensington Oil spill. That he composed a resignation letter after the drop in, which he saved and routinely updated for a year afterward. That he never forgave Bartlet for lying.
That he never looked back.
THE REPLACEMENT
(130 Words)
In one 30-second sound bite, Sam knew Will Bailey had screwed him.
Bailey wasn't the true believer Sam thought he was - just a guy hired to do a job. Hired by the Wildes to run the best campaign he could, and he did.
But that obligation was over, and now Sam was on his own with a group of strangers hand-picked by Bailey and the DCCC to run a losing campaign. Nothing had changed, the Democrats weren't serious about the California 47, and Sam realized he was foolish to think otherwise.
At that moment Sam also knew he would never return to the White House. He was suddenly very tired of being the guy who did the job, but didn't believe.
Will Bailey was better suited for that role.
EARSHOT
(140 Words)
With a practiced smile, Sam floated through the campaign post-election party like a phantom.
"Too bad …"
"Just the kind of new, young blood the Democrats desperately need …"
"… set up to lose."
"… never had a chance …"
"The White House screwed one of their own …"
"… didn't do anything to support the campaign."
"Came in at the 11th hour like a bunch of rodeo clowns …"
"The Democrats have no guts…"
"… would rather cry about the Republicans than beat them at their own game."
"The Party is dead."
"I'm registering Independent tomorrow …"
"… registering Republican!"
When it was done, Sam still clung to his idealism like a life preserver. Their words didn't make him angry, but determined.
If he couldn't use his idealism for the Bartlet Administration, then he would use it against them.
CONVERSATIONS WITH DEAD PEOPLE
(145 Words)
"This is Sam Seaborn."
"Hi, buddy."
"I'm sorry. Who's this?"
"Josh … Lyman."
"Oh. Hi."
"It's been a while."
"Almost four years."
"Yeah … I, uh, I caught the show last night. You know, the thing you said about the tax incentives …"
"What do you want, Josh?"
"I just … I was thinking … I heard Donna telling Carol …"
"Josh …"
"Nothing, really, just … how's married life?"
"It's great, it's been great for three years."
"Good. Um, you should come to the White House before we leave."
"I've been to the White House. I used to work there."
"I know, I … I never said goodbye when you left. I was …"
"A jerk?"
"Yeah."
"Okay."
"You'll come? And bring your wife."
"I'll have to check my schedule. Thanks for calling."
"Yeah, it was good to … um, Sam? Sam?"
END OF DAYS
(142 Words)
"Does the place look the same?" Bartlet asked the handsome visitor.
"The Oval is awe-inspiring, Mr. President," Sam said, glancing around the room, absently fingering the visitor's tag around his neck with one hand, swirling the dark liquid in the brandy snifter with his other. "You'll miss it."
"One more week. Then retirement."
"We won't have heard the last of Jed Bartlet."
"You're probably right." Bartlet smiled fondly at Sam. "You know, between your nightly talk show on CNN and your best-seller, you really took us to task the last four years."
"Yes sir."
"I was proud of you, Sam. I still am."
"I know, Mr. President."
"Sam, will you do me a favor?"
"If I can, Sir."
"Will you autograph my copy of your book?"
With a slight catch in his voice, Sam said, "It would be my honor, Mr. President."
end
