Trent Reedy - Divided We Fall

“It’s okay, Mom. You’re home. You’re good now.”

She pressed her hands to her chest, closed her eyes, and focused on her breathing. “I… I’m fine. That Eric calling?”

She had calmed down a little bit, but she’d freak if she knew I’d been activated and had to go on duty. “Yeah. Sweeney was hoping I could meet him. Take his boat out. You know, fishing and everything.”

“Drinking?”

“What? No, Mom. Trying to catch some fish. Maybe play a little poker.”

She didn’t look completely convinced. “Sure. Okay. If you’re staying late, don’t be driving.”

“Sure.” I took a few steps toward the door to the hallway, then stopped. This was the absolute wrong time to be called up. “You going to be okay?”

“Go.” She waved me away. “Have fun with your friends. You work too hard taking care of your crazy old mother.”

I crossed the kitchen in three big steps, put my arms around her, and kissed the top of her head. “You’re not crazy or old, Mom.”

“Go on now. I love you.” She patted my hand as I pulled away. “Danny?” she said as I reached the door again. “Be careful tonight.”

I nodded and headed toward my room to get my uniform. Back in the kitchen, the boiling kettle began to scream.

—• As you can see, Tom, I’m quite close to the disturbance, and what began as a protest against Governor Montaine signing the bill to nullify the Federal ID Card Act has quickly expanded into counterprotests about a host of issues. Excuse me, sir, can you tell us why you’re protesting today?”

“Yeah, I’ll tell ya. Look, I don’t care about any stupid ID card law. I’m pissed because the government needs to know we’re sick of this, man! Mr. Big Shot Governor so busy talking up new jobs in Idaho, building COMMPADS and electronics in Boise and Idaho Falls. I applied there. Didn’t get the job. I can’t even afford a comm! Tired of this! •—

—• Come to the Coeur d’Alene gun show featuring locally manufactured Castle Firearms! Under Idaho law, if you’re an Idaho resident and buy locally manufactured weapons, federal gun control laws do not apply to you. So take advantage of this opportunity to purchase an AR15 or other quality, locally made firearms. There’s even an air rifle range for the kids! This Saturday at the •—

—• Climbing three positions to number five on the country music charts, here’s Hank McGrew with his latest hit, “Rise Up”:

Old Merle got home early from the factory today

His wife put on the dinner, said, “It’ll be okay

For you and me, six kids in our family”

Well, Ol’ Merle’s daddy taught him to judge from right and wrong

Said, “Life will sometimes drop you, but don’t stay down for long

You’re an American, not an Ameri-can’t”

And when the next day rolled around, Merle went down to the mill

No jobs that day, but he won’t give up

And you know he never will

’Cause the Eagle carries the Sword of Justice in her beak

She lands and stands proud on the church steeple peak

As the flag flies over this town…

Oh, you can’t keep America down •—

—• of Democrat senators threatening to filibuster a defense appropriations bill unless their unemployment package is brought to the floor for a vote. The Republican leadership countered, saying the soaring federal deficit would not allow •—

—• With the last of the phase-one pipeline system complete, the New Plymouth natural gas compressor station went online today, making western Idaho’s recently discovered extensive natural gas resources commercially available for the first time. A spokesman at the plant says that phase two, scheduled to begin within the year, will focus on distributing natural gas to commercial filling stations for use in cleaner-running natural gas automobiles. Lynette Jatherine, KTVB Boise News. •—

—• As president, one of my chief responsibilities is upholding the law. Nothing is more sacred to me than our rights as Americans as provided for by our Constitution. During my time in the Senate, I worked to limit the warrantless surveillance power of the National Security Agency, begun under President Bush and expanded thereafter. As president, I put an end to the practice started by President Obama and continued until my administration, of using drones or other means to kill American citizens without due process. I did these things because I respect and cherish our Constitutional rights.

So yes, the new federal identification cards will contain a lot of personal information in order to streamline access to federal services, and it is precisely because these cards will contain such information that they contain a chip allowing their location to be tracked. If one of these important cards is lost or stolen, it can quickly be located. I understand why people, including those in Idaho, might be upset about the federal government’s ability to track the location of these cards, but I promise the American people that the location of any federal ID card would never be tracked except at the request of its owner, or with a proper warrant issued by a court of law. •—

JoBell had been supportive, but not excited, about me enlisting. While I was in basic training without my comm or any screen, she wrote me actual paper letters every day, telling me that she hoped I was doing good on my rifle marksmanship or my push-ups and sit-ups for physical training. She said she missed me, and even that she was proud of me, but she never came around to admitting that enlisting had been a good idea. I was pretty sure she’d be mad or at least dump a bunch of I-told-you-so’s on me when she found out I had to miss tonight’s party because of the Guard.

Driving north on the highway toward the armory near Farragut Falls, I called out, “Hank.”

“Wha’chu need, chief?”

“Speaker-call JoBell.”

“No problem. I’ll put a voice call with JoBell on speaker,” Hank said. “You want to listen to a sample of my newest song while you wait?”

“No thanks. I’m good.”

“No problem. Let me know if you change your mind. Of course you can always add the song to your playlist for only… two dollars.”

Maybe I should have paid extra for the ad-free version of the digi-assistant. Finally JoBell picked up. “Danny? Are you here? I’ll come get you on the Jet Ski.”

“Cannonball!” Cal shouted in the background. I heard a big splash and people laughing.

“I’m not at the lake.” I hated lying to JoBell, but if I made her angry over all of this, it would ruin her evening. “Mom’s having a rough night. I need to stay home and help her.”

“Oh no,” she said with real concern in her voice. “Is she okay? Is it a bad attack? Do you want me to come over to help?”

Despite how uncomfortable I felt making up this story, I had to smile. A lot of girls would be mad that I was bailing. JoBell was just worried about Mom.

“No,” I said. “No, it’s cool. I got this. I’m just bummed I’ll have to miss everything.”

“Family first, Danny. Your mom is most important. She helped me so much when my mom left Dad and me for that prick dentist. I wish she didn’t have to have it so rough like this. Maybe she could see another doctor? Maybe a different prescription would help?”