Citizen Hughes - Michael Drosnin [52]
“Please knock this off because I become very emotionally disturbed when I feel that I am the cause of upsetting you.”
Hughes was not really all that upset. In fact, never in the entire tormented history of their stormy relationship was he happier than when Maheu injured himself. Finally, they were both bed-ridden. Now he had Maheu all to himself. And he was making the most of it.
“I am sorry about your knee, and I have no desire to add to your problems,” he wrote solicitously. “On the other hand, I have urgent problems which simply cannot be put aside.”
The list of problems was truly staggering.
“Please give me some word on Parvin, Franklin’s statement, Laxalt, Cannon, and Bible’s efforts on behalf of Lake Mead water, my request not to permit a high-rise on the Bonanza site, the threatened hotel on the Zoong property, the threatened hotel on Convention Center Drive, the three parcels of real estate, your efforts via the Justice Dept. to acquire Stardust, my communication via Rebozo to Pres. Nixon, my request to you for some revision of the allocation of Army helicopter business to Bell, that should not wait another five minutes, possible acquisition of the Riviera.
“Bob, the above list includes eleven items, which, relying solely upon my memory, eleven items that I have entrusted to your sole and exclusive handling, are overdue for a report.
“P.S.—I have not included the TWA judgement, which brings the list to twelve, for your easy remembrance.”
Each day began with a similar get-well message.
“How is your knee this morning?” Hughes would inquire, and then launch into another diatribe.
“Bob, please do not take offense at this, but I would appreciate it very much if you would review a list of the projects in work and dictate a brief status report on each.
“You tell me nothing about anything. Nothing about any progress in the TWA affair for a year, nothing about the water system, nothing about the future plans of the AEC, and half a dozen other projects I have asked you to take over.
“Bob, I must be the least informed executive in the whole damned country concerning his own business. I have to learn more from the news media than anyone I know in a comparable position. This must end or I will, in my own defense, be forced to set up an investigative organization to inform me of what is happening in my own organization. This surely would be an all time high in embarrassment and I ask you not to make it necessary.
“I am sorry to complain this way, Bob, but honestly, I sometimes think you are so busy with your very full and complex life, that you perhaps forget I am living in a virtual vacuum.
“Perhaps, while you are staying off your knee, Bob, and unable to keep some of your appointments for meetings, etc., it may give you an opportunity to work on some of the projects and problems I have mentioned, many of which can be advanced by your efforts via the phone.
“I hope you are feeling better.”
“I thank you, Howard, for inquring about my knee,” replied Maheu from his bed. “It continues to be very painful, particularly at night when I make abrupt turns while sleeping which causes me to awaken repeatedly.
“Howard, I truly have been trying to keep you informed. If you feel that these matters give you a reason to control me via some investigative organization within your complex, please be my guest. It might do you some good to find out about some of my accomplishments from another source.”
“Are you and I going to embark on another voyage of hostility?” Hughes shot back.
“I have no desire to quote control you, but Bob, I do not intend to learn about my business affairs from the news media any longer. If I desired to spy on you, I would ask someone to do it, and I certainly would not tell you about it beforehand.
“How is your knee, Bob? Please