2030_ The Real Story of What Happens to America - Albert Brooks [85]
“I don’t know, sir,” Susanna said. “It sounds to me like possibly they want different terms to loan this kind of money. New terms.”
“Yes, but Chen Biao does not want to sit with me in person just to ask for twenty percent interest. That could be relayed through others, don’t you think?”
“Yes, sir.”
Opinions varied widely. Secretary of State Bob Nugent was opposed to any top-level meeting at that time. “I think there’s nothing that can come of it,” he said. “It sounds like some sort of trap. Almost like they want to humiliate us and they need you there so they can feel good about it.”
The President disagreed. “I think the question before us is how badly we need them. I am not above begging for three trillion. If they want it to come from me, so be it.”
The vice president, Ronald Simpson, volunteered to go to China to see if that would be sufficient to secure the loan, but the President thought that was a bad idea. “We can’t have another situation where they refuse us and demand again to see me. That would make us look weaker than if I just agreed.”
“What if they came here?” Van Dyke asked.
“I think they would,” Susanna told him.
“Then maybe we should set up a summit.”
“No,” the President said. “Not here; too much press. What about Camp David?”
“What if they won’t come here?” the vice president asked.
“Then fuck ’em,” Van Dyke replied. The President looked at his chief of staff.
“John, I would like nothing better than to fuck ’em, but we desperately need this money. We can’t even get the goddamn lights back on without it. We are in no position to fuck anybody. If they don’t want to come here, let’s deal with that when they say no. They’re either going to help or not, but obviously they want this meeting, so let’s give it to them. Invite them to Camp David and make it sound like it’s the most special honor we can offer. Which it is, by the way. I like that place to remain private; I don’t want the Chinese crawling all over it, but I’m willing to let them. Make them understand it’s a privilege.”
As the cabinet members got up to leave, the President asked Susanna to remain. This was the second time this had happened. If it continued there would be talk, or at least jealousy. He pulled his chair up next to hers. “How did your first encounter feel? Were you nervous?”
“I wanted very much to succeed for you. I wish I could have come back with something real. They might have taken advantage of me.”
“I don’t think they took advantage of you, Susanna. I sent you for a reason. There were things that Spiller did that annoyed the hell out of them. He would have gotten nowhere; they would not have even wanted to meet with him. I made a gesture of sending you, which in their culture is a way of starting over. Apparently they took it a little too literally, as God knows what they want.”
“I still feel I might have let you down.”
“If you do, I’ll let you know.”
She smiled. “Thank you for making me feel better about it. May I ask how your mother is doing?”
“You may. Thank you. I really feel my mother is going to exist in this machine-like cocoon for decades. It bothers the hell out of me. I wish she would die.”
Both the President and Susanna were surprised at how easily this came out of his mouth. What did this woman possess that he could say such a thing so effortlessly? And she was somewhat surprised that it sounded as natural as it did to her. “I know the feeling,” she said.
“Do you really?”
“Well, not exactly, but I know I would have the same feelings if I were you.”
“What can I do?”
“I still would like to see your mother. Would it be odd if we visited her together?” The President thought about it for a moment.
“I don’t think you and I can go see my mother. It would be hard