The Prodigal Daughter (56 page)

I’m
sorry,
I didn’t realize it was your bench.”

“Been my bench,
Danny’s bench, these last thirteen years,” said the grin,
,y
face. “Before that it was Ted’s and when I go Matt inherits it.”

“Matt?”
ropeated Florentyna uncomprehendingly.

“Yeah,
Matt the Grain.
He’s asleep behind parking lot sixteen waiting for me to die.” The tramp
chuckled. “But I tell you the way he goes through that grain alcohol, Matt will
never take over th~s bench. You not thinking of staying long, are you, lady?”

“No. I hadn’t
planned to,” said Florentyna.

“Good,” said
Danny.

“What do you do
during the day?”

“Oh,
this and that.
Always know where we can get soup from church kitchens, and some of that stuff
they throw out from the swanky restaurants can keep me going for days. I had
the best part of a steak at the Monocle yesterday. I think I’ll try the Baron
tonight.”

Florentyna tried
not to show her feelings. “You don’t work?”

“Who’d give Danny
work? I haven’t had a job in fifteen years-since I left the Army back in
‘seventy. Nobody wanted this old vet. Should have died for my country in
Nam-would have made things easier for everyone.”

“How many are
there like you?”

“In
Washington?”

“Yes, in
Washington.”

“Hundreds.”

“Hundreds?”
Florentyna
repeated in disbelief.

“Not as bad as
some cities. New York they throw you in jail as quick is look at you. When are
you thinking of going, lady?” he saiJ, eyeing her suspiciously.

“Soon.
MAY I
ask-
”

“You ask too
many questions, so it’s my turn. Okay if I have the paper when you leave?”

“The
Washington Post?”

“Good quality,
that,” said Danny.

“You read it?”

“No.” He
laughed. “I wrap myself up in it.
Keeps me warm as a
harnbur~er if I stay very still.”

She
passe(
I him the paper. She stood up and smiled at Danny,
noticing for the first time that he had only one leg.

“Wouldn’t have a
quarter to spare an old soldier?”

Florentyna
rummaged through her bag. She had only a tendollar bill and thirty-seven cents
in change. She handed the money to Danny.

He stared at her
offering in disbelief. “There’s enough here for both Matt and me to have some
real food,” he exclaimed. The tramp paused and looked at her more closely. “I
know you, lady,” Danny said suspiciously.

“You’re that
senator lady. Matt always says he’s going to get an appointment with you and
explain a thing or two about how you spend government money. But I told him
what those little receptionists do when they see the likes of us walk in-they
call the cops and grab the Lysol.

Don’t even ask
us to sign the guest book. I told Matt not to waste his valuable time.”

Florentyna
watched Danny as he began to make himself comfortable on his bench, covering
himself very expertly with the Washington Post. “Any case, I told him you would
be much too busy to bother with him and so would the other ninetynine.” He
turried his back on the distinguished senator from Illinois and lay very still.
Florentyna said good night before walking down the steps to the street where
she was met by a policeman outside the entrance to the underground parking lot.

“The
man on that bench?”

“Yes, Senator,”
said the officer. “Danny, Danny One-Leg; he didn’t cause you any trouble, I
hope?”

“No, not
At
all,” said Florentyna. “Does he sleep there every night?”

“Has foi the
past ten years, which is how long I’ve been on the forct.

Cold nights, he
moves to a grate behind the Capitol. He’s harmless enough, not like some of
those at the back of lot sixteen.”

Florentyna
lay
awake the rest of the night only nodding off
occasionally as she thought about Danny One-Leg and the hundreds suffering from
the same plight as his. At seven-thirty the next morning she was back in her
office on Capitol Hill. The first person to arrive, at eight-thirty, was Janet
and she was shocked to find Florentyna’s head buried in The Modern Welfare
Society by Arthur Quern. Florentyna looked up.

“Janet, I want
all the current unemployment figures, broken down into slates, and then into ethnic
groups. I also need to know, with the same breakdowns, how many people are on
social security and what
percentage have
not worked
for over two years. ‘
rhen
I want you to find out how
many of them have served in the armed forces. Compile a list of every leading
authority -You’re crying, Janet.”

“Yes, I am,” she
said.

Florentyna came
from behind her desk and put her arms around her. “It’s over, my dear. Let’s
forget the past and get this show back on the road.”

I
T TOOK E\ ERYONE
IN CONGRESS only a month to discover that Senator Kane was back with a
vengeance. And when the President phoned her personally, she knew that her
attacks on his Fresh Approach were coming home to the one house where things
could he changed.

“FlorentynA, I’m
eighteen months away from Election Day and you’re ta~ ing my Fresh Approach
campaign apart. Do you want the Republicans to win the next election?”

“No, of course
not, but with your Fresh Approach we only spent in one vear on welfare what we
spent on defense in six weeks. Do you realize how many people in this country
don’t even eat
one ;quare
meal a day?”

“Yes,
Floientyna, I do-”

“Do you also
know what the figures are for people who steep on the streets each night in
America? Not India, not Africa, not Asia. I’m talking about America. And how
many of those people haven’t had ajob in ten years-not ten weeks or ten months
but ten years, Mr. President?”

“Florentyria,
whenever you call me Mr. President I know I’m in
troubl,:.

What do you of
all people expect me to do? You have always been among those Democrats who
advocate a strong defense program.”

“And I still do,
but there are millions of people across America who wouldn’t give a damn if the
Russians came marching down Pennsylvania Avenue right now, because they don’t
believe they could be any worse off.”

“I hear what
you’re saying, but you’ve become a hawk in dove’s clothing, and statements I
ike the one you just made may make wonderful headlines for you, but what do you
expect me to do about it?”

“Set up a
Presidential commission to look into how our welfare money is spent. I already
have three of my staff working on it and I intend to present some of the
horrors they are unearthing about misuse of funds before a hearing at the
earliest date. I can promise you, Mr. President, the figures will make your
hair curl.”

“Have yon
forgotten I’m nearly bald, Florentyna?” She laughed. “I like the idea of a
commission.” The President paused. “I could even float the concept at my next
press conference. “

“Why don’t you
do that, Mr.
President.
And tell them about the man
who’s been sleeping on a bench for thirteen years little more than a stone’s
throw from the White House while you slumbered in the Lincoln bedroom.

A man who lost a
leg in Vietnam and doesn’t even know he is entitled to sixty-three dollars
a week
compensation from the Veterans Administration.

And if he did,
he wouldn’t know how to collect it, because his local VA office is in Texas,
and if in an inspired moment they decided to send a check to him where would
they address it?
A park bench, near the Capitol?”

“Danny One-Leg,”
said the President.

“So you know
about Danny?”

“Who doesn’t?
He’s had more good publicity in two weeks than I’ve had in two years. I’m even
considering an amputation. I fought for iny country in Vietnam, you know.”

“And you’ve
managed to take care of yourself ever since.”

“Florentyiia,
if I set up a Presidential commission on welfare, will you give it your
support?”

“I certainly
will, Mr. President.”

“And will you
stop attacking Texas?”

“That was
unfortunate. A junior researcher of mine discovered Danny had come from Texas,
but do you realize that in spite of the illegal immigrant problem, over twenty
percent of the people ot Texas have an annual income of less than-T’

“I know, I know,
Florentyna, but you seem to forget that my Vice
Pr(
--,ident
comes from Houston and he hasn’t had a day’s rest since Danny One-Leg hit the
front pages.”

“Poor old Pete,”
said Florentyna. “He will be the first Vice President who has had something to
worry about other than where his next meal is coming from.”

“And you mustn’t
be hard on Pete, he plays his role.”

“You mean
balances the ticket so that you can stay in the White House.”

“Florentyna,
you’re a wicked lady and I warn you that I intend to open my press conference
next Thursday by saying I have come up with a brilliant idea.”

“You’ve come up
with the idea?”

“Yes,” said the
President. “There must be some compensation for taking the heat all the time. I
repeat that I have come up with this brilliant idea of a Presidential commission
on Waste in Welfare and”-the President hesitated for a minute-”that Senator
Kane has agreed to be the chairman. Now will that keep you qUiet for a few
days?”

“Yes,” said
Florentyna, “and I’ll try to report within one year so that you have time
before the election to describe to the voters your bold new plans to sweep away
the cobwebs of the past and usher in the Fresh Approach.”

“Florentyna.
“

“I’m sorty, Mr.
President. I just couldn’t resist that.”

Janet didn’t
know where Florentyna was going to find the time to chair such an important
commission. Her appointment books already needed the staffer with the smallest
handwriting to complete each page.

“I need three
hours clear every day for the next six months,” said Florentyna.

“Sure thing,”
said Janet.
“How do you feel about two o’clock to five
o’clock every morning?”

“Suits me,” said
Florentyna, “but I’m not sure we could get anyone else to sit on a commission
under those conditions.” Florentyna smiled. “And we’re going to need more
staffers.”

Janet had already
filled all the vacancies that had been created from resignations during the
past few months. She had appointed a new press secretary, a new speech writer,
and four more legislative researchers from some of the outstanding young
college graduates who were now banging on Florentyna’s door. “Let’s be thankful
that the Baron Group can afford the extra cost,” Janet added.

Once the
President had made his announcement, Florentyna set to work. Her commission
consisted of twenty members plus a professional supporl staff of eleven. She
divided the commission itself so that half were professional people who had
never needed welfare in their lives or given the subject much thought unti I
asked to do so by Florentyna, while the other half were currently on welfare or
unemployed.

A clean-shaven
Danny, wearing his first suit, joined Flonntyna’s stdff as a full-time advisor.
The originality of the idea took Washington by surprise. Article after article
was written on Senator Kane’s “Park Bench Commissioners.” Danny One-Leg told
stories that made the other half of the committee realize how deep-seated the
problem was and how many abuses still needed to be corrected, so that those in
genuine need received fair recompense.

Among those who
were questioned by the committee were Matt the Grain, who now slept on the
bench Danny had vacated, and “Tom Guinzburg,” an ingenious convict from
Leavenworth who, for a parole deal arranged by Florentyna, told the committee
how he had been able to milk a thousand dollars a week out of welfare before
the police caught up with him. The man had so many aliases he was no longer
sure of his own name; at one point he had supported seventeen wives, forty-one
dependent children and nineteen dependent parents, all of whom were nonexistent
except on the national welfare computer. Florentyna thought he might be
exaggerating until he showed the commission how to get the President of the
United States onto the computer as unemployed, with two dependent children,
living with his aging mother at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C.
Guinzburg also went on to confirm something she had already feared-that he was
small fry compared with the professional crime syndicates who thought nothing
of raking in fifty thousand dollars a week through phony welfare recipients.