Chapter 2: So Long

JD hung up the phone, took off his glasses and rubbed his temples. He hated dealing with freshmen legislators. They always had more ideas than sense. Eventually, this right honorable gentleman would prove himself - worthy or no - and JD just hoped it would happen before the subcommittee vote and not after. It was his eighth Assembly phone call of the day the Fishery and the last before his lunch meeting with Paul and the board for the firm.

'I'm getting' too dang old for this.' JD thought, 'One job is enough.'

As much as he hated admitting it, he was going to have to choose. He either remained as Lead Legal counsel for the company that he helped form and steer for the last 33 years or he resigned and become a full time lobbyist for his family fishery.

He sighed and turned to look out the window at his coveted view of McPherson Square. He did not want to leave the company. If he had to be honest, it was a matter of personal pride. Davidson Fishery had been established in 1804 in the same small fishing town, on basically the same patch of ground where their simple packing plant stood today. Nine generations of Davidson men - well, McElroy after his grandfather - had run the fishery and run it well. He was proud of that, glad of the time he had spent working there himself and happy that all three of his sons worked there still. But JD had always needed something personal; a testament to his own accomplishments. As much pride as he had with the family business, he would never be able to claim its success or failure as his own.

But the company, he had helped found and build. From the days when they had set-up shop in Adams Morgan in one room above a Mexican take out place - back when rent there was still affordable. He had been here through eight presidential administrations, six military conflicts that had affected sales or supplies or both, three major expansions, two serious recessions and Black Monday. He had raised this company just as surely as he had raised his sons.

But every good parent knows when it's time to let go. Truth told, JD did not handle much of the day-to-day issues any more - he had handed that over to Bill Clark, his senior aide almost a year ago. JD smiled; he claimed the decision was to promote Bill but really, it was to lighten JD's workload so that he could in turn spend more time off with Rachael. Now most of that extra time was being spent running back and forth between DC and Richmond following Virginia's legislative process. Bill was handling the added duties far better than JD had expected and maybe it really was time to consider retiring and letting Bill and Paul guide the company's next generation.

His phone buzzed and a woman's voice cut through his thoughts, "JD?"

"Yes, Ms. Johnson?"

"I have a Mark McElroy on the phone for you and Paul says to tell you that Jerry and Phil are waiting in his office when you're free."

"Mar-cus, Ms. Johnson. Marcus McElroy." He hated it when Rachael took a day off - especially a day off without him, "I'll take the call. Tell Paul that I'll join them presently." He waited for the phone to buzz again and hit the speaker button. "Marcus?"

"You got good news for me, Julius?"

"I don't have bad news if that helps."

Marcus sighed heavily, "George has given me a couple estimates if'n this bill passes. Right nasty."

"Can we absorb it?"

There was a moment of silence then another heavy sigh, "Yeah, profit margin'll make Momma scream ta all hell but we can take the hit. Don't know how some of the smaller charter's'll do with it."

"Well, I've been trying to get them to make the tax a pass-thru. It'll raise prices but at least it'll raise 'em across the board."

"That'd help. You comin' in for Momma's birthday?"

"Could I ever set foot in the house if I didn't?"

"Wouldn't think so but I ain't never tried." He paused then asked, "You gonna bring this new catch of yours this time?"

This time JD went silent. He had been putting off giving the family much detail about Rachael. "If she's available." She had not been "available" yet.

"Maybe I'll come up there and meet her. You going awful far to keep her an' us apart, Julius. Something you need to tell us?"

"Well, I'll tell you Marcus." He hesitated and then just decided to come out with it, "She a might bit younger than I am and I don't know how the family's gonna take it. The boys are still pretty loyal to their Mother. And I know Momma's not gonna like it one bit."

"Girl's old enough to drink, ain't she?"

"Well of course! She's not in high school, for heaven's sake."

"Then ta hell with 'em. If you like her and she likes you then that's all that matters."

"Thank you, Marcus. I appreciate that."

"'Course you bring a black girl in here and I'm gonna eat them words."

That was a joke - Marcus' wife Candice was Black and the family had had no complaints about it. "Thank you, Marcus." The intercom light on his phone flashed. "Marcus, I'm sorry but I've got to go. I've got a lunch meeting and they're waitin' for me already."

"When are you gonna quit an' come home?"

"I don't have time to discuss that, now."

"Well, you need to start thinking about it, Junior, an' make time to discuss it. We need you here."

"Later, Marcus."

"Count on it." There was a sharp click and JD slammed the phone down then held his breath for the count of ten. His older brother could tick him off faster than anyone else in the world. Always could.

He composed himself and left his office. He paused at Ms. Johnson's desk, "If my brother, Mr. McElroy calls again, take a message. I don't want to be disturbed unless Miss. Sullivan calls, hear?"

"Sure, JD."

In Paul's office, the senior managers and most of the board sat around the informal conference table. JD fixed himself a plate, took a seat, and listened as Paul updated everyone on the latest, greatest idea. To his own surprise, he found himself not the least bit interested. His mind wondered to the charter tax bill so he was chagrined when he realized that everyone was staring at him. Paul repeated the question, which JD answered. Over the next hour, though, he found he had made his decision. He hoped Rachael would understand.

As the meeting neared ending, JD spoke up, "One more issue, gentlemen, and I know this was not on our agenda but this would be the group to make the decision. What would you all think about Bill taking over as Lead Legal Counsel when I retire?" The response was good so he made a swift silent prayer and said, "Good, good, I think he's a fine man for the job. I bring this up because I'm thinking about retiring soon."

"How soon?" Paul asked and JD could hear the suspicious edge in his voice.

"Oh, I don't know. 90 days ought to be enough time for the boy to get situated. I could loiter on a part-time basis another month or so after that but I don't want to get in the boy's way." The rest of the afternoon was spent discussing the issue first with this group, then with Paul and Bill and later with Paul and the HR Manager. By the time JD made it back to his own desk, he was talked out.