Mood:
accident proneTopic: "Hopalong Frodo"(9)
In his fifteenth year, Frodo made an ill-advised maneuver upon the sands. His knee turned abnormally and the resultant swelling locked his leg in place for many days. Frodo was reminded of that old injury lo these many years past when the slightest twist brought about an inability to manage the simplest of motor skills. Frodo's chagrin has been matched by the watchful care provided by Sam, and frustration in the activities of Dandy and Tess. "What use," they think, "is a Hobbit who cannot walk, much less run?"
The unfortunate injury, not unlike the silver lining upon the clouds blowing past his window to the wind, provides Frodo with an opportunity to catch up on a number of internal assignments including this posting. The capacity to be outside is a driving force in the activities of the Hobbit, so this "catch up" time, although frustrating, offers him the appearance of organization.
Frodo also did a little research, resulting from the trivial television performance of the House Ways and Means Committee. William Loeb and Michael Dolan were names from Frodo's past which came to mind as he watched the public humiliation of Steven Miller, soon-to-be the Ex-Acting Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service. "Billy" Loeb, as the highest ranking civil servant in that organization during the Nixon Administration, was the man who raised his middle finger to H.R. Haldeman and told him that he would not initiate investigations of any of the Presidential enemies list. He added that he would leave said meeting and go directly to the office of the Washington Post if necessary. Frodo discovered, as he had feared, that this very brave civil servant passed away in 2006, at the age of 94.
Mike Dolan works for KPMG in a very senior position. Serving as Acting Commissioner on more than one occasion, Mike endured the last major "scandal" involving the Internal Revenue Service during the early years of Ronald Reagan's tutelage. Mike began his Congressional Record testimony with the words "I'm Sorry." Mike knew that most of the assertions of poor service and harassment laid before him were basically false, but without the permission of the taxpayer to disclose the facts and circumstances of the case, it would be illegal for him to even acknowledge awareness of the cases at hand. Unsurprisingly, none of the ten or so complainants gave their permission to such a disclosure. Mike Dolan is the supreme example of "grin and bear it."
Watching that little twit from Kansas or that corpulent fool from Texas (aren't they all?) or the puddle-jumper from Pennsylvania each expend their five minutes of fame in ignorance of the facts while on CSpan, Frodo put his index finger down his throat and puked. Our nation, it seems, turns it's lonely eyes toward those unwilling to seek the truth. Frodo knows that this, too, shall pass, it's just a shame that it is at such cost.
lazy
party time!
don't ask
incredulous
quizzical
irritated
celebratory
lucky