Doing the weekly forecast- the Weather Report- is normally fun with the crowd from the Writer’s Section at Refuge Farm. It includes a lot of banter about real truths that are no longer permitted for public release. Amanda is the company attorney, and she is just back from sequestration from one or more of the public health emergencies. We honestly enjoy needling her, and she took the enforced time off to seclude herself in an efficient crowded commercial jet across the Atlantic. She looked refreshed.

She wrapped her seclusion up quickly to set the stage for unraveling the relative narratives strewn across the media the week she was gone. “It was a little early for fun on the beach, since the playa are still a bit chilly for dalliance. But there was plenty of other stuff to do. It was a delight to tour the Jerónimos Monastery.” She held up an image on her tablet so we could all see. “It is a marvel of Portuguese Gothic architecture almost five hundred years old. It was inspired by the heritage of the sea and the voyages across it.”

“Those were done by what we call ‘White Hispanics’ now, right?”

“They prefer ‘Portuguese.’ And although it was paid for with the profits of the Spice Trade and other early forces of global supply chains, it is the resting place of celebrated explorer Vasco da Gama, whose tomb is located near the entrance.”

She then flipped locks of honey-colored hair from her eye, and posed her NotePad on her left knee to take notes on the workup for the Weather Report. After her brief synopsis she declined further comment, sharing only a positive word about her hotel- the Altis Belém. It apparently had a posh spa, mask optional, a roof deck, and striking architecture. “The key to this,” she said firmly “is to go places that are having a different crisis than the one you are having where you live.”

“Is that why the President is in Asia now?”

Amanda looked at Splash with a dismissive scowl. “Off topic and skirting a crisis we are not going to address in the publication stream. My recommendation is to pop positive on something and take a vacation.”

“No, that wasn’t my point. Was the trip across the Pacific intended to create different problems so we will talk about other stuff than gas and inflation and baby formula and the border?”

“No, these were regularly scheduled events completely in keeping with a strong mutual defense and free trade on the world ocean. So, declaring a red line in China’s back yard is just a different issue that will provoke constructive discussion.”

“Yeah. About who generates that stuff on the teleprompter he can’t read.”

Amanda’s shoulders snapped back, her trim profile poised for decisive action and lovely features resolute. “The domestic situation is perfectly plain. Inflation is caused by greedy companies gouging the public by passing along increased costs. They should be willing to work for less in the public good. And the gas prices and food shortages are Putin’s fault.” She lowered her tablet and relaxed a bit. “Let’s back to something some gentle irony can accommodate with an uplifting message about sacrifice.”

“How about train wrecks? You couldn’t have a list of stuff like this, problem unfolding out of problem, unless it was orchestrated.”

“What organization would do that? It is crazy, like all those conspiracy theories.”

“Which ones? The ones that were true or the ones that were squashed by the media?”

“For goodness sake. That is like saying that one part of the government shuts down one of the major producers of baby formula and does nothing to alert the food supply part of the government that there might be a shortage in a few months. And then waits until there is some hysteria about it.”

“Now there is an interesting public policy discussion right there. Is this incompetence or is it intentional?”

“What if it is both?”

“Knock it off, you guys. The current situation is just one of those things. It is your job to try to poke a little humor at it while being supportive. The goal is to ensure that these policies get to continue to ensure a real transformation of this nation.”

Talk ceased. There were some glances back and forth around the circle at the Fire Ring. Loma put on his weather-guesser face and used his radio voice. “They say the mild rain may continue for another forty-five minutes, and then there will be an outbreak of sunshine, seasonal temperatures and renewed Spring growth.”

“So, we will be dry later if the rain stops and everything is OK?”

“Sure. The President isn’t supposed to be back until later today. That means we can stop talking about the old part of the train wreck and start talking about what is going to happen next.”

Amanda smiled. There was a general feeling, subject to polling bias, that it was good to have her back.

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