The American
Prologue
WASHINGTON, D.C.
They whispered amongst themselves. For an announcement
of lesser magnitude, they said, it might have been a
more suitable venue.
It was natural for them to complain. Nothing less was
expected by those who had organized the event; indeed,
the interns who had arranged for the seating and
distributed the press passes would have been stunned
by anything approaching a compliment. When the
frequent interruptions led to a substantial delay in
the proceedings, few were surprised. Nevertheless,
every effort was made to accommodate them. Additional
chairs were brought in for the latecomers, and the
proffered urns of coffee and pitchers of chilled water
were refilled at a near constant rate. Ornate
chandeliers hung high above their heads, providing the
requisite amount of light. The cameramen complained
anyway, but to no avail. That the room might have been
graced by natural light was never a consideration. The
six massive windows were wired shut for security
purposes, and draped in flowing burgundy curtains that
perfectly matched the color of the carpet. Above the
sparkling crystal chandeliers, a forgotten pair of
star- shaped balloons drifted absently across the
gilded ceiling. Although the walls were mi ... read full excerpt from The American ebook
