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TextDinneratJoanne’sDinneratJoanne’s1Itwassnowingheavily,andalthougheverytrueNewYorkerlooksforwardtoawhiteChristmas,theshoppersonFifthAvenuewereinahurry,notjusttotrackdownthelast-minutepresents,buttoescapethebittercoldandgethomewiththeirfamiliesforChristmasEve.Text2JoshLesterturnedinto46thStreet.HewasnotyetenjoyingtheChristmasspirit,becausehewasstillatwork,albeitaworkingdinneratJoanne's.Joshwasblack,inhisearlythirties,andanagreeable-lookingperson,dressedsmartlybutnotexpensively.Hewasfromahard-workingfamilyinupstateVirginia,andwasprobablyhappiestbackhomeinhisparents'house.ButhisdemeanorconcealedaHarvardlawdegreeandaninternshipinDCwithacongressman,ajuniorpartnershipinaNewYorklawfirm,alongwitharazor-sharpintellectandanabilitytothinkonhisfeet.Joshwasverysmart.Text3TheappointmentmeantJoshwouldn'tgethomeuntilafterChristmas.Hewasnot,however,unhappy.HewasmeetingJoRogers,theseniorsenatorforConnecticut,andoneofthebest-knownfacesintheUS.SenatorRogerswasaDemocratinherthirdtermofoffice,whoknewCapitolHillinsideoutbutwhohadneverthelessmanagedtokeephercredibilitywithhervotersasaWashingtonoutsider.Shewaspro-abortion,anti-corruption,pro-lowcarbonemissionsandanti-capitalpunishment,asfineaprogressiveliberalasyoucouldfindthissideoftheAtlantic.TalkshowhostscalledherHonestSenatorJo,andacoupleofyearsago,TimemagazinehadherintherunningforWomanoftheYear.Itwaselectiontimeinthefollowingyear,andthewordwasshewasgoingtorunfortheDemocraticnomination.RogershadmetJoshinDC,thoughthimhighlycompetent,andhadinvitedhimtodinner.Text4Joshshiveredashecheckedtheaddressontheslipofpaperinhishand.He'dneverbeentoJoanne's,butknewitbyreputation,notbecauseofitsfood,whichhadoftenbeenmaligned,oritsjazzorchestra,whichhadaguestslotforawell-knownmoviedirectorwhoplayedtrumpet,butbecauseofthestellarqualityofitssophisticatedguests:politicians,diplomats,movieactors,hall-of-fameathletes,journalists,writers,rockstarsandNobelPrizewinners–inshort,anyonewhowasanyoneinthiscityofpowerbrokers.5Inside,therestaurantwasheavingwithpeople.TheheadwaiteratthefrontdesklookedatJoshashecamein.Text6“CanIhelpyou?”7Joshreplied,“Yes,Ihavean...”8“Excuseme,sir,”theheadwaiterinterruptedastwoguestsarrived.“GoodeveningMissBacall,goodeveningMrHanks,”andclickedhisfingerstosummonanotherwaitertoshowthemtotheirtable.9“Now,sir...,”saidtheheadwaiter.“...doyouhaveareservation?”Heshruggedhisshoulders.“Wehavenosparetableswhatsoever,asyoucansee.”10“I'mmeetingaMsRogersheretonight.”Text11TheheadwaiterlookedatJoshupanddown,andasked,“MayIhaveyourname?”12Joshtoldhim,andalthoughthewaiterrefrainedfromcurlinghislip,hemanagedtoshowbothdisdainandeffortlesssuperioritywithasimpleflaringofhisnostrils.13“Letmesee,”saidtheheadwaiter.“Well,yes,wedohaveatableforaMsRogers,butwillshebearrivingsoon?”TextText14Joshhadencounteredthisdoubtfultreatmentbeforebutwasnotintimidated.15“I'msureshewill,”saidJosh.“Couldyoupleaseshowmetohertable?”16“Comethisway,sir.”TheheadwaiterledJoshthroughtherestauranttoatableattheback,andpointed.17“Thankyou.CouldyougetmeaMartini,please?”saidJosh.ButtheheadwaiterwasimpatienttogobackintotheheadyswirlofNewYorksociety,everyoneclamoring,orsoitappearedtohim,forhisattention.Text18Thetablewasclosetothebathroomandrightbyahalf-openedwindow,apparentlypositionedwhereanicybreezefromtheGreatLakes,passingdowntheHudsonValley,wouldenditsjourney.19Suddenlytherewasamoment'ssilenceintherestaurant,onlyforthenoisetoresumeasintensewhispering.20“SenatorRogers!”saidtheheadwaiter.“WhatagreathonoritistoseeyouatJoanne'sagain!”21“Goodevening,Alberto.I'mdiningwithayoungman,nameofLester.”22Theheadwaiterblinked,andswallowedhard.Text23“Yes,Senator,pleasecomethisway,”andasSenatorRogerspassedthroughthecrowdedroom,headsturnedasthedinersrecognizedherandgreetedherwithsilentapplause.Inaclasslesssociety,RogerswastheclosestthingtoaristocracythatAmericahad.Albertohoveredforamoment,thenwenttospeaktoacolleague.24“It'sgoodtoseeyouagain,Josh,”saidRogers.“Let'shavesomethingtoeat,thenI'dliketotalktoyouaboutabusinessproposition.”Text25Albertoreturned,benthalfdoubleinalmostlaughablehumility.26“Senator,asthistableissocold,souncomfortable,Iwaswonderingif...”27SenatorRogerswaitedandthensaidquietly,“Goon.”28“Iwaswonderingifyou'dlikeabettertable,inthemiddleoftherestaurant,soyouhaveabetterviewofeveryone.”Soeveryonehasabetterviewofyou,hemighthavesaid.“You'llbemuchmorecomfortable,and...”Text29Albertopaused.SenatorRogerslookedaround.30“Iagree,thisisn'tthebesttableinthehouse.Butyoubroughtmyfriendhere,andIguessthisiswherewe'llstay.We'llhavemyusual,please.”31Aftertwohours,RogersandJoshgotuptoleave.Therewasafurtherflurryofattentionbythestaff,includinganofferbyAlbertotowaivepaymentofthebill,whichRogersrefused.Astheywereputtingontheircoats,Rogerssaid,“Thankyou,Alberto.Oh,haveIintroducedyoutomycompanion,JoshLester?”Text32Alookofpanic,followedbyoneofdesperateoptimismflashedacrossAlberto'sface.33“Ah,notyet,no,...notproperly,”hesaidweakly.34“JoshLester.Thisisthelatestrecruittomyelectioncampaign.He'sgoingtobemynewdeputycampaignmanager,inchargeofraisingdonations.Andi