2030_ The Real Story of What Happens to America - Albert Brooks [71]
“Dad? Are you okay? Are you still in Pasadena?”
“Yes.”
“We wanted to come visit but traveling there is still too tough.”
“I know. That’s okay.”
“Hey, did you read about the bones?”
“Yeah.”
“Pretty great, right? Are you excited?”
“I’m thrilled.”
“Well, right now it’s only in mice, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed for you.”
“Thanks,” his father said sarcastically. “That means a lot.”
“So how are they treating you?”
Brad decided just to stop the small talk. He held his nuts, a habit he acquired long ago when he had to say something he hated, and just blurted it out. “What about me living with you and the family?”
There was a silence on the other end that seemed to go on forever. If Brad hadn’t been looking at his son’s face, he would have thought the connection was lost. “You want to move in with us?” Tom meekly asked.
“You know what, forget it. It was just a thought. Forget it.”
“No, I’m just surprised, that’s all. Let me talk to Crystal. It’s just such a surprise and we don’t really have the room. You know it’s tiny here.”
“It’s okay, Tom, it was just a thought.”
“No, Dad, it’s a good thought. Let me figure it all out.”
“Fine. You figure it out. I love you.” And Brad hung up, sorry that he had called his son in the first place.
* * *
The bone story circulated around the West Wing and was raised at the morning press conference. “Has the President seen the news on the latest breakthrough on bone regeneration?”
“He’s seen it,” said Elizabeth Foreman, the press secretary, “and he thinks it’s very exciting, but we know from other discoveries that human trials are the most important, so we are keeping our fingers crossed.”
“Is there an update on the President’s mother?”
“No. Nothing has changed.”
Then a question came from the screen above the podium. The White House press briefings now allowed for twenty percent of their questions to come from reporters in other countries. A man from Germany asked, “Did the President’s mother leave instructions about end-of-life care?”
The press secretary not only did not know the answer, but she had to act offended, as if it breached some private boundary. “I have no idea and if I did, I don’t think it would be appropriate to tell you. That’s a personal family issue.” She thought it would stop there, but the reporter continued.
“Isn’t it a people’s issue because of the great cost of these situations? Is the President paying for this from his own pocket? Does his insurance pay for this?”
The press in the room were silent. They had felt it was too soon to address these kinds of issues, but apparently the overseas reporters did not. Foreman tried to contain her anger.
“The President has insurance through his job, which covers his immediate family. That would not include a parent, as you well know. Mrs. Bernstein would have to have her own coverage. Are you an insurance agent looking for a commission?”
She got the room to laugh a little and before the German reporter could ask anything else, she motioned for the screen to go black. Now all she was hoping for was that this did not open a Pandora’s box.
The President watched the press briefing while exercising. He was surprised it had taken this long to get that question and even more surprised it had come from overseas. The fact was, he agreed with the reporter. His mother did have insurance, most of it from the government, and this was an overwhelming expense that was going to lead to nothing. But what could he do?
Bernstein had earlier called in his private attorney, Harry Cannon, and had what could be perceived as a borderline illegal discussion.
“Did you look over everything?”
“Yes, Mr. President. There’s nothing there. She’s left her estate to the children and various causes but there is nothing spelled out for this.”
“Can a DNR be added?”
“I’m sorry, sir?”
“Let’s say a child knows what the wishes were, that they heard the parent say it. Can it be added?”
“Did you hear her say that?”
The President looked at him. “I don’t know, maybe.”
“Don’t you have sisters,