2 YEARS BEFORE
Phil loved his garden. Getting his hands dirty and growing things....
Made him happy. Though his landscaped gardens now were A Crying Shame. Knock huge percentage points off the resale value. Weeds: overrun the mulch. Battle royal! Them? Graduated. Weeds always won. Neglect sits the throne. He ... sure, he knew that. Always known that. Gone to Catholic school, for Christ's sake. Sorry,
he prayed toward his acoustic tile ceiling. Phil wasn't sure where to turn. He'd gone to Brown University, a lesser NOT LEAST Ivy. Secular. Admit it. Toward law school. Now dragging a torpedo, no direction home.
Years later the governor called. He offered Phil Gambardella — old friend; savvy and successful, fellow Brown alum; staunch supporter — a position of public service.
The governor made this irresistible offer: Would you please take over the fucking Sewer Commission before somebody down there gets shot?
Phil thought, Fuck me. Of course I will.
Comments