If people were going to have oceans and lakes spill practically up to their doorway, it was time for Tom to turn the president’s fuel made of toxic resistance into less hot air.
Chapter 5 – Meeting Donald Trump
Tom Burns, Washington, D.C.
Tom set up a meeting with President Trump for Friday, October 17th. The day before, he told Sam he was taking off to meet with the president and watched his son contort his face in disgust.
Tom smiled, rubbed Sam’s head momentarily, and said, “Yeah, I know. I’ll bring you a souvenir from the Capitol, though.”
Sitting at the airport waiting to board, he thought about how his life had changed recently. They were boarding in ten minutes. There was a time he loved waiting to board and would strike up conversations. When Trump became president, everything changed for Tom and his fellow scientists. Staying intellectually honest became less of the usual when it came to talking to random people about environmental science. It was something he had thoroughly enjoyed over the years and came with the territory. Now it was something much more forceful, something that made Tom unable—or was it possible unwilling—to subject himself. Instead of intellectual conversations, these were insincere diatribes or an inane constant dismissiveness. He’d at first thought it was a few people who just didn’t want to think about science, who were safely guarding themselves in the beliefs of their choice. They were more interested in preserving some ideas about life and what they were entitled to.
To Tom, it became abruptly disheartening. It was the sign of the times. The shift had to do with people who were willing to sacrifice much more than he was about life and the responsibilities that came with knowledge. Gone were the days of reasonable conversations, measuring the effects of deforestation or increased pollution. The rising tide preferred the pursuit of narrow interests and class distinctions, extensively concerned about status. It seemed to trump turning any conversation toward any whiff of common good.
Joe Simmons, one of his fellow scientists at Boeing and a technologist who’d spent hours a day testing an infinite array of new technologies, once said to him, “We’re over here hoping to recover and conserve resources. They’re just interested in fist bumps over what a pain in the ass it is to make room for thinking about vehicle emissions.” It was during one of their discussions leading up to the testing of the hydrogen fuel cells on the Eco Demonstrator Program demonstration, proving out the concept of the new technology.
“Too much to think about.”
“And imagine what they’d have said if they’d seen us testing the 757 coating to stop the drag on the plane caused by all the dead bugs that get stuck on the leading edge of the wing.”
“Coating? All you need is a big fly swatter stuck to the front of the plane?”
“Precisely. Now, I’m no demolition man, but—”
Tom had heard this so many times, he could finish his sentence, “But most derbies offer an evening of destruction, not an entire incumbency.”
“But look at him flaunting his status.”
“Boarding United Flight 612 to Washington-Dulles. Seating Groups 1 and 2.”
Tom checked in and boarded the plane. He sat at a window seat and gazed out the window. He hadn’t been to Washington, D.C. in many years and looked forward to walking past the Air and Space Museum as well as other Smithsonian museums on his way to the White House.
The three-hour flight was relatively smooth and he made his way to his hotel near the National Mall. He slept well considering his anxiety level was through the roof.
The next morning, with time to spare before his meeting, he walked around the National Mall. He loved to go to the Air and Space Museum as a boy with his dad. His dad would explain the history of air travel starting with the Wright brothers to him. The National Mall was also full of various groups protesting different plans and political issues that President Trump had announced. Many of the protesters carried signs with slogans opposing the decisions that Donald Trump had already made.
He saw some people were protesting about changes to immigration policies and women’s rights while others opposed the decisions made about the environment. Many of the nationally known environmental protection groups were active here. Some signs asked to protect specific animals such as the polar bear from becoming extinct. Others protested the reduction in carbon emission requirements. Still more signs called Trump a murderer for not doing enough to help citizens prepare and provide relief from the impact of hurricanes. On the other side of the Mall, a group of Trump supporters was carrying signs praising Trump. These people were screaming at the immigration and environmental protesters who shouted right back at them.
Tom decided to walk through the environmental group protesters to get a feel as to what was happening and show his support. He picked up a few pins with some slogans for his friends back home. One pin said, “CHANGE THE WHITE HOUSE, NOT THE CLIMATE.” Another one said, “GO GREEN.” A third one said, “TREAT ANIMALS WITH DECENCY.” A fourth one said, “BUILD A WALL AROUND THE WHITE HOUSE AND THROW AWAY THE KEY.” Tom took some pictures to show his family.
Tom really doubted there would be any compromise on many of these issues. The country was falling apart at a rapid pace since the election of Trump and the appointment of Cabinet administrators that were totally opposite to whatever President Obama had done. There was just too much partisan politics.
Numerous policemen were stationed between the groups of protesters. Most of the protesters were very passionate about their positions. Tom wondered how many people were arrested daily. It would not take much more anger between the groups to bring about a riot.
As Tom neared the Washington Monument at the end of the Mall and adjacent to the White House, he felt an object hit him on his shoulder. One of Trump’s supporters had seen him wearing an environmental protection pin and had thrown an object probably the size of a small rock. Tom immediately felt the pain in his right shoulder but stayed on his feet and looked around for the person who had hit him. He noticed a man staring at him about twenty feet away with his hands on his waist. Tom also noticed three cops running at the intruder.
When the man saw the police, he tried to run from them. The only place he could run was directly at Tom. The man got close to Tom. As soon as he approached him, Tom cold-cocked the man in the stomach. The man, unable to breathe from the punch, collapsed on the grass. A few seconds later, the cops had the man in handcuffs. They turned to see if Tom was all right.
Tom said, “I am glad you guys were around and acted so quickly. I have no idea how this would have turned out without your presence. What will happen to him? Does this stuff happen often?”
One of the cops responded. “We do about five incidents a day with crazy people like this. We do not mind people with permits screaming at the top of their lungs, but once it gets physical, we have to move in and make arrests. We take all the people like this guy and book them for the crime they committed. In this case, it will be assault and intent to start a riot. Assault is a more serious offense, and he may or may not be able to post bail. We need to get your name and address and contact information in case a trial is conducted. If you want, we can take you to an emergency room to have you checked out. Given the way you hit the intruder, that may not be necessary.”
Tom proceeded to give the cop the information they needed. He said, “Thanks for coming to my assistance. My shoulder does hurt, but I think it will be ok. I will be sure to have it checked out as soon as I can. Right now, I am supposed to be on my way to see President Trump for a meeting.”