and then says, “Sir, our aides ARE within earshot.”
Branch returns to his desk, and sits down making a sickening sigh as he crosses his legs Indian style in his chair. He leans forward so that his elbows rest on his knees. Brushing his hair behind his ears he looks across the room and beckons his aide to approach.
Cindy Aaronson grins as she says, “Jeremiah, you look like a fat toad sitting there like that.”
“I mean it Senator Aaronson, stop it while you still can!”
The Chairman’s aide, now standing at attention in front of Branch’s desk waits for his orders.
“Son, you got something to say?”
The aide politely responds, “No sir, you requested me.”
“Right.” Branch gathers his thoughts as he unwinds his legs and scoots his chair closer to the desk.
“Son, I want you to find out what Senator Foot was tapping with and make sure he doesn’t have it, whatever it was, tomorrow.” “I swear, if he starts that tapping again . . .”
The aide interrupts Branch, “It was a Challenge Coin sir.”
“Now just what the hell is a Challenge Coin?”
“It’s an object which most closely resembles a coin usually about the size of a silver dollar, sir.”
“I saw what it looked like son, tell me what it is!”
Aaronson interjects, “That’s what I just said about you, ha!”
Branch glares at Cindy Aaronson, “Sugar, you’re pushing yourself too far.”
“Sir,” the aide says as he steps between Branch and Aaronson. As the aide walks toward the wall behind Senator Branch’s desk he says, “If you would look closely at this picture of former President Clinton on the wall over here.”
Branch, Aaronson and Bernard all form a circle around the aide as he draws their attention off of each other and toward the Presidential Portrait.
“If you would notice on the table behind President Clinton there is a rack of many different Challenge Coins given to him by serviceman who thanked him for his support of the military.”
Senator Bernard, intrigued by the story, whispers to Senator Aaronson, “How did the military folks get them?”
Aaronson inhales deeply and says, “What is that smell?”
The aide steps away from the group and says, “I’m sorry ma’am I put an ointment on my shoulder to numb it. I guess I forget others can smell it.”
“That’s okay honey, can’t you buy something less . . . pungent?”
“No ma’am, you can’t buy this in a store. It’s a mixture I came up with myself while serving in the Middle East.”
Senator Aaronson, obviously impressed with the aide, walks toward him, “So you were a soldier, how did you hurt yourself?
Senator Branch, sensing that Aaronson was becoming too interested in his aide, walks up to his aide and wraps his arm around the aide’s shoulder and pulls the aide’s shoulder into him.
“I must apologize for my lack of decorum, let me introduce to you my new aide, Cliff Cortez. Cliff here is some sort of war hero, aren’t ya Cliffy.”
“A real war hero? Gees!” Miss Aaronson begins to caress Cliff’s hand.
Cliff withdraws his hand and points back at the picture, “Ma’am, would you like to know the history behind the Challenge Coin?”
Senator Bernard, who is still staring at the picture says, “All these, THINGS here were GIVEN to military folk who then GAVE them to the president?”
Cliff corrects Senator Bernard, “These Challenge Coins are earned, not given!”
“What did those folks do to ah, EARN them?”
“The folks, as you call them sir, were military personnel who through their courage and self-sacrifice, went above the call of duty.”
“Why NOT just give these military FOLKS a medal?”
“Well they most likely were also awarded a medal or citation, but those usually take time and lots of paper work.”
Branch attempts to regain the center of attention, “Citations, now that’s something I know about.”
Ignoring Branch, Cliff continues, “The tradition goes back many years, all the way to WWI. The story starts with American and Canadian civilians wanting to help out their European allies in their fight against the Germans. Early in the war, the United States refused to officially be involved so these young brave men, decided to leave the safety of their homes and travel on their own dime to Europe and fight, while American politicians were too busy arguing amongst themselves on how to stay friendly with everyone.”
Aaronson, now more interested in the story and less in Cliff, notes that, “Honey that sounds like the current debate in Washington.”
“Yes ma’am, only these boys were not your typical boys, they were mostly from the Elite of society but many of the first to go were from very humble means. Today’s elite live in Hollywood and worry more about what’s happening on Reality TV today, than on who may want to kill them tomorrow.”
Branch chuckles,
“Cliff, you’re sounding more like a politician than an aide.”
“I apologize sir, I’ve overstepped my appointment.”
“Apology accepted son, let’s get back to the history lesson.”
“Yes sir. The story goes that most of the boys who went to Europe became pilots and flew many missions over enemy lines. One of the pilots commissioned a family foundry to make a medallion or coin with his squadron’s insignia on one side. He then gave them to the rest of his fellow squadron pilots as a memento.”
Senator Bernard, still studying the Presidential Portrait says, “So you’re telling us that these coins are traded between military folk, sort of like trading baseball cards?”
“No sir.”
“WELL THEN, what do they USE these things for?”
Cliff, now mindful of his distance from Senator Aaronson, backs up to his original position at the front of Senator Branch’s desk. He then continues his story.
“The tradition goes that one of the pilots had never owned anything of value, so in order to carry it with him, he placed the coin inside a pouch and wore it around his neck. The pilot was later forced down behind enemy lines and was captured by the Germans. When he was searched and all his identification taken, the Germans missed the pouch that was around the pilot’s neck. As the pilot was being moved from one enemy camp to another, he was able to escape but was now tasked with sneaking through “no-man’s land” on his way back to his squadron. When the poor pilot was nearing his base, a French unit confronted him and assumed that he was a spy since he had no identification. As they were about to shoot him he pulled out the coin and showed it to them. One of the French officers recognized the insignia and allowed him to pass. Since then the tradition is to always carry the coin incase you’re challenged.”
Senator Bernard paced around the room as Cliff was speaking and is now sitting on Branch’s desk, directly in front of Cliff.
“I don’t understand, WHY would Senator Foot be PLAYING with a challenge coin during a Senate Investigation; he must KNOW that no one was about to shoot him?”
Cliff acknowledges Senator Bernard and continues, “Sir, I’m sure Senator Foot knew that. Today the tradition of the coin is that if someone challenges you by slapping his coin down or tapping it on the bar and you don’t respond with your own coin, then you have to buy him a drink. But if you are able to respond in-kind, then the guy that challenged you has to buy his own as well