Melissa had not come back from the El Paso café over on Pershing when the rest of the morning crew finally appeared sequentially on The Patio in the last clear inviting morning of a season waning like the moon above.

Splash had scrawled “Small S’esses Rising?” on his tablet before doing something else and she had left this graphic on the intro slide to the Production meeting.

We had been following this as an item supporting a narrative about Iranian relations in the Administration. We first heard about the “leaks” late last week, and material described as sounded like the executive summaries to the kind of messages we read at the beginning of every work day in three wars.

So, it seems a big deal as an insight into what the institution is aware of. But it is not being used for that purpose and could be a little secret leading to some other one. We’ll try to keep track.

The big business on is what Meat had on his end of the table next to a stir-vaguely warm mug of Chock Full O’ Nuts. “That’ part of what is going on as we see what the galvanizing event is going to be to tip an election that doesn’t seem to be headed in the direction of those in charge of it now. So, let’s concentrate on something ordinary that works.”

He propped his iPad on the end of the faded white table, gesturing slowly across the screen:”

This isn’t a commercial with a point and click. It is a demonstration that the modern technology of inclusion has enabled a means to capture some of the confusion of a rewarding life. This is a compilation of the individual adventures of one of us. His ashes are in the queue over at Arlington, currently extended due to use by an expanded number of eligible users.

He wanted to complete his pitch while the coffee was still warm. “We should remember the road across this amazing century we shared.” Then he flopped the tablet over.

Rocket was supposed to do the “current items’ bit and frowned, leaning forward around a mostly eaten bagel. “The FBI and Defense Intelligence Agency are reported to be Investigating OSAD SOLIC Christopher Maier as the Source for the Iran leaks they claim that lady this morning leaked.”

There were nods and frowns on that one. Then, he continued with “the Harris campaign is working on a means to run up massive margins in cities and affluent suburbs, while limiting opposition gains among nonwhite and working-class white voters. Expect more volume and spectrum on those lines.”

Creative Section Leader DeMille looked down the table. A Patrol Aviator, by experience before joining the international publishing trade, he was accustomed to dealing with crews this size in periods of stress and relaxation. “That is the three points this morning? Latest message, brief commercial introduction, and odor of what’s next?”

“It should be those.”

There was generalized nodding in the circle, only one of which required a nudge to initiate.

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