The Sandler Inquiry Part 54

The older man was on his feet now. He was standing uncomfortably, waiting to be introduced.

"This is Augie Reid," she said.

"He covers Albany and the idiots in the state legislature for us ' "I know," Thomas said.

"I've seen the by-line' The two men extended their hands in a chilly, if nonetheless civil, greeting.

"Don't let me interrupt anything" Thomas said, perfectly pleased that he had interrupted.

"If you're having an intimate chat, newspaper work or otherwise, I could come back' "Not a chance" Andrea said, leaning over and pulling a chair from a neighboring desk.

"Sit." A woman with an insatiable appet.i.te for gossip or argument, she wanted to see the two men faced with each other. Thomas knew it.

"I was just leaving, anyway," offered Reid politely. His pipe went from his left hand back to his mouth. A thin stream of smoke drifted upward.

"Maybe all three of us should talk," Andrea suggested. Thomas looked at Reid with thinly veiled displeasure. Reid shook his head mildly to Andrea.

Thomas . sat and threw a jaundiced eye upward toward Reid.

"Do we have something to talk about?" he asked.

"Oh, I doubt it'" offered Reid amiably.

"Maybe your father."

Daniels was quick to frown and pursue the point.

"What?" he asked, a suggestion of anger in his tone. Everywhere, everywhere, William Ward Daniels.

Reid offered a smile.

"Met him once" said Reid, teeth clenched on the pipe. -The man impressed me. Only reason I mention it is my older brother knew him well" Reid perceived that Thomas was annoyed at something.

"No offense intended' he said.

"None taken," said Thomas slowly.

"[email protected] your brother know him?" The question was cautious, exploring the territory.

"City College," said Reid. Thomas could see that the reporter was studying him as he spoke. Daniels disliked people who seemed to look through him when conversing. He'd seen too many of them.

"They were cla.s.smates together. Another puff of smoke was launched toward the ceiling.

"Knew each other very well there, in fact. Debating team. Political Science Union. Chess Club. My brother," added Reid, changing pace just slightly, 'he died about two years ago-' "I'm sorry."

Reid shrugged, as if this were the accepted course of things, and continued, 'my brother said that your father possessed the most overpowering intellect he'd ever met" Thomas shrugged in non commitment He'd heard it all before, too many times.

"Only one thing puzzled him. Mind if I tell you?"

Andrea took in the exchange greedily. She loved it. Reid waited for a response and when Thomas acquiesced in silence, Reid continued.

"City College back in the thirties," the reporter said.

"well, I'm old enough to remember a bit of that myself. Great ideologists.

Reaction from the Depression. Reaction to capitalism. Know what I'm going to say?"

"No," said Thomas. He didn't. But he was hooked. He watched another puff of smoke rise. The reporter knew how to draw someone into a story. Reid held the pipe in his hand.

"All the great intellects were left wing" he said. shaking his head, he added,

"Understandable. That's where the intellectuals were.

With the great Russian Experiment,as they called it. They hadn't had to excuse the Stalin purge trials yet. But that's aside from the point. The point is, my brother was always puzzled by your father.

He was the intellect of his cla.s.s. The intellect. And he went the other road completely. The other wing. And all that jingoistic nonsense."

Thomas shrugged slightly as if to ask what that proved.

"Well said Reid, recovering slightly, "human beings do things for reasons. Other human beings try to figure out why. How could your father have come out of that same environment and been so different politically?"

"I have no idea" said Thomas flatly.

"Ever wondered'?"

"No" he admitted.

Um 'hummed Reid.

"People are people, I suppose." He was thoughtful.

"He flirted with socialism for a while, my brother used to tell me.

Sold socialism to other freshmen, then dropped it himself "Who?"

"Your father," said Reid with a slight smile.

"For a few months as a freshman. You act surprised."

"I am" Reid offered a pensive and perplexed expression as if to say, "What does it mean? I don't know." He said in closing,

"Well, guess it doesn't mean much now. See you again sometime ' He offered his hand. Thomas took it without resenting it. He didn't dislike Reid as much as he'd wanted to. For some vague reason, he didn't dislike him at all.

Reid nodded to Thomas and Andrea, made an awkward half move - as if starting to lean forward to kiss her, then thinking better of it -then turned and left. Thomas sat by her desk in silence for a few moments watching him leave.

"They're getting older all the time, aren't they?" he asked.

"Who?"