(no subject)

[ladyfirestarter]

Charlie's at the bar, with coffee. Sweet, sweet life-giving coffee.

"Still no?" she's saying, wearily, apparently to the bar itself.

Comments

[2020sight]

"Did she win?"

[ladyfirestarter]

Charlie sighs. "No, and I'm not going to tell you who did, it'll just depress you."

[2020sight]

He tsks. "Aw, c'mon, don't leave me hangin'."

[ladyfirestarter]

"Mitt Romney."

Enough said, really.

[2020sight]

"Okay, see, my problem with that," he says, holding up a declamatory finger, "is that that is a name that just lacks dignity. I mean, even -- ah, the one who set everything up for that war, lemme think, I was in Mexico at the time . . ."

[ladyfirestarter]

"Bush Junior?" Dry. "Though I think 'set everything up' may be giving him way too much credit."

[2020sight]

"No, no -- Buchanan! James Buchanan. That one. Terrible president! But a dignified kinda name. Presidents ought to at least have that going for them."

Beat.

"Well, okay, the Bushes screwed that bit up too, but, y'know, par for the course."

[ladyfirestarter]

Charlie chokes on her coffee.

[2020sight]

:D?, says Epimetheus.

[ladyfirestarter]

"Seriously James Buchanan, or are you messing with me?"

[2020sight]

"Seriously James Buchanan! C'mon, don't they talk about this? Dealt really badly with the whole secession thing, left the whole mess to Lincoln?"

[ladyfirestarter]

She's shaking her head, and laughing a little. "I always forget how you would have been around for that."

You two, she might almost have said.

[2020sight]

He laughs. "So do most people. It's probably better that way."

[ladyfirestarter]

"Probably, yeah."

And abruptly she's missing Prometheus so much it hurts, and she lowers her head to take another drink of coffee and compose herself.

[2020sight]

He opens his mouth to add something witty -- eyes her -- closes it and gives her a minute. The bottles behind the counter become very interesting while he sips his whiskey.

[ladyfirestarter]

"Anyway," she says, and her tone is brisk and (relatively) cheerful.

[2020sight]

"Anyway," Epimetheus picks up, "my point is that Barack Obama is a name that just bellows dignity, if not exactly WASPishness."

[ladyfirestarter]

"It does rather," she agrees. "And he can carry it off, too. Which, while having nothing much to do with being a good president, does make for a nice change."

[2020sight]

"Don't it just?" He shakes his head. "Amazing how far that kinda gravitas can get you."

He . . . is bad at it usually. Prometheus is better. Much of his family is very good at it.