Acts of Congress

by Red Snapper

  She smiled as she turned to lean on the balcony railing while she continued to milk her cigarette until after a few seconds it was just a smoldering butt. She slowly exhaled allowing all of the smoke to go back into her pretty little nose as well as back out into the atmosphere. After she was done, she strode back into the luxurious Hotel Monaco suite, strolling straight over toward the luxurious plush couch, sitting down at the coffee table where there sat a mirror with her favorite white powdered substance, which was already lined up in three neat rolls for her pleasure. She picked up the one-hundred dollar bill that she had rolled up to form a diminutive straw and commenced to inhale a line and a half of the fine particles.

  The substance was strong as she immediately commenced to cough for a brief second before she closed her eyes allowing the substance to take its unmitigated effect. She slowly turned her head toward her paramour as he continued to slumber and the resonance of his snoring began to echo in her now hallucinating mind. The narcotic was now taking full effect over her as she tried to keep her eyes open, staring at her snoozing lover. She smiled and then she finally closed her eyes as she thought, “I need him to get his ass up and give me some head right about now…”

  After about an hour, Thom finally got out of bed. He quickly noticed that Caramel was lying on the couch. He smiled as he thought, “This has got to be my secret…no one can know about this shit. I have to keep this under wraps because if this gets out…”

  As he was making his way toward the bathroom, his cell phone began to ring. He glanced back at Caramel to see if she was awake before he picked up the phone to answer it. He took the phone from his jacket and answered it.

  “What are you doing calling me on this number…I told you never to call me on this line!”

  “I know but I needed to bring you up to speed.” “Everything is in place…we’ll get the information packet dropped off to us by this afternoon.”

  “Okay…I need to take care of something first…you meet with them and make sure all is well. It’s imperative that we convince them that we’re voting for their interest before Monday. I don’t want the committee to panic and vote in favor of non-support of the rebels issue…got it?”

  “Sure...but I need you to come to the office today so I can brief you…say this afternoon?”

  “Okay…fine I’ll see you then.”

  He hung up the phone while he strolled into the bathroom. As soon as he stepped into the bathroom, Caramel’s eyes opened as she thought, “So he’s up to some no good, grimy shit. Let me see if I can use this info to get what I need. I could use some new clothes and toys to play with. What I really want is to get that sex reassignment surgery…that would complete me. Let me work on that.”

  ♣♣♣

  Meanwhile across town at the Howard University School of Law building, Congresswoman Lauren Lucas was summarizing on a lengthy lecture when her administrative assistant, Samerra Jefferies came rushing into the lecture hall. While the Congresswoman put the final changes on the lecture, the crowd of over 1,400 students stood, giving her a well-deserved standing ovation. This did nothing but to make her feel as if what she was doing was making a difference while she waved at the crown, making her way off the podium.

  She gazed at the Congresswoman while she smiled back at her. When she finally made it to her space, she immediately responded, “Ma’am…that was an excellent lecture on the Congressional Power over the Jurisdiction of Federal Courts. I’m sure that these students here will cherish this moment and compile their notes that you provided for them for use on many of their upcoming term papers.”

  The Congresswoman laughed while she responded, “Oh cut the bullshit Samerra…you know these damn kids don’t give a fuck about what I’m talking about. Their only concern is where they can go to get some fire weed and a good head-job. If I wasted my energy worrying about that, I’d be crazy…what’s next on the agenda for today?”

  Samerra smiled while she responded, “Well Congresswoman we’re scheduled to go to a working luncheon to meet with some of the lobbyists from the America Council of Life Insurance, and you know…they want to discuss that power lines situation going on in your home state.”

  “Okay now…I hope this doesn’t last all afternoon…you know we have to get to the spa before two-thirty or we’ll miss the Dom Pérignon and Cheese Special.”

  Samerra laughed as she replied, “Understood…I’ll make sure that we are done before that time.”

  As soon as she said, that Samerra’s cell phone began to ring. She swiftly took a peak at her caller ID and noticed it was Caramel Love. She frowned while she glanced at the Congresswoman while she responded, “Excuse me Ma’am but I have to take this…”

  She grinned slightly while she nodded her head in the affirmative. Samerra stepped about two feet away as she answered the call.

  “Sam…whatever it is I don’t have time for it right now…what do you want?”

  “Well that’s no way to talk to your twin sibling is it? I just wanted to ask you something.”

  “I hope it’s not about money Sam because you still haven’t paid me my $50,000 you borrowed last year.”

  Caramel laughed slightly as she responded, “No big sister it’s not about nothing like that…at least not directly.”

  “Then what is it because I need to get back to my Congresswoman…spill it out Sam!”

  Caramel sighed slightly while she responded, “Well…I heard from a reliable source that a certain Congressman has a particular interest in deterring a proposal on the subject of Power Lines in a popular Midwestern state and I just wanted to know if your Congresswoman was aware of that.”

  Samerra chuckled as she responded, “Since when have you been involved in politics Sam?”

  Caramel smiled when she replied, “Since its became a crucial part of me making some critical cash flow…enough to pay you back and to get what I want done.”

  “So you’re really gonna go through with that damn surgery huh Sam,” Samerra asked in a considerable tone.

  There was silence for a brief moment and then Caramel responded, “I know you think that this is a mistake, but I want nothing more than to finish what I’ve started…I know that I’m a woman…why can’t you accept who and what I am?”

  Samerra replied, “Because God don’t make mistakes Sam, but you’re about to make one that’s why.”

  As soon as she said that the Congresswoman stepped over toward her and said, “Rap it up…I need you to take care of something for me dear…”

  Samerra smiled while she nodded her head in the affirmative. She exhaled heavily then she responded, “Look…I’ve got to go. We can have this discussion later alright?”

  Caramel swiftly replied, “See if she’s interested…trust me…I’ll get you whatever information you need as long as the paper is right.”

  Samerra heaved a sigh while she quickly hung up the phone. Congresswoman Lucas gazed at her when she asked, “You look a little flustered…is everything alright my dear?”

  Samerra immediately snapped out of her trance while she immediately strolled over toward the Congresswoman.

  “Oh yes Congresswoman…everything is just fine.”

  The Congresswoman handed her a folder while she said, “I need you to read over this packet and then brief me on the contents before we get to the meeting. I need to be on top of things if I am to make a decision on this power lines issue.”

  Samerra smiled while she took the packet, which had a label on it, marked with the electric company in question versus the people of Lawton County. They quickly began to make their way through the overflowing crowd of students and professors while they slowly made their approach toward the foyer. While Samerra stepped back watching the Congresswoman interacting with all the people in the hallway, she began to dwell on the recent conversation that she had with Caramel. She had always wanted to be an Administrative Assistant for an up and coming political dynamo like Congresswoman Lucas, but what if she had the competence to m
ake her more influential in the political game. What if she could make herself more influential as well? She stared at her when she thought, “Maybe Sam is on to something…knowledge is power so. Let me see what’s really going on with this Power Lines dilemma. But if Sam is playing me…I swear I’ll get even.”

  4

  The atmosphere was cloudless and sort of azure in color when Samerra Jefferies and Congresswoman Lucas left the Howard University campus, but when they arrived in front of the plush French restaurant, La Chaumiére on M Street, the sky was slate-colored and rain drummed on the streets. While the black stretch limousine pulled directly in front of this incredibly swank restaurant, Samerra hurriedly began to bring up-to-date Congresswoman Lucas on the details of the power lines predicament.

  “According to this report filed by the electric company in question, the notion that electric power lines can cause cancer arose in 1979 with a single flawed epidemiogical study that created a stir. Subsequent epidemiologic and animal studies have failed to find a consistent and significant effect. No plausible mechanism linking power lines and cancer has been found.”

  “In recent years, the verdict from large-scale scientific studies has been conclusively negative, and scientific and medical societies have issued official statements that power lines are not a significant health risk. In short, there is nothing to worry about.”

  Congresswoman Lucas looked puzzled as she replied, “Why do I get the feeling that there is more too this then what’s written in the report?”

  Samerra smiled as she began to explain to the Congresswoman, “The lobbyists involved in this case believe that the idea that living near high-voltage power lines is bad for your health has been around for many years. Illnesses attributed to power lines include childhood leukemia, other cancers, abnormal heart rhythms, miscarriages, low birth weight, birth defects, and other illnesses that might lead to premature death. According to this report despite the conclusions of many studies that find no detectable risk, many people remain unconvinced about the safety of power lines.”

  The Congresswoman shook her head while she responded, “So if the power lines are not an issue then why is there concern about the Power Lines?”

  Samerra smiled when she replied, “High-voltage power lines create electromagnetic fields around them and expose anything nearby to electromagnetic radiation. The argument has been that although power lines can create electromagnetic radiation it is not unique to power lines microwave ovens, radio and televisions transmitters, and cellular phone transmitters do the same thing, though the amounts of radiation emitted vary.”

  The Congresswoman sighed as she replied, “So as a result, even power lines that are easily visible from one's home (or from one's appliances or cell phone) lead to radiation exposure that experts consider harmless — that's why there are not more rules and regulations about living near power lines?”

  Samerra sighed while she responded, “That’s correct Ma’am. Past studies have shown that when laboratory animals have been exposed to radiation of this sort, some researchers but not others have been able to demonstrate health problems, including new cancers or accelerated growth of existing cancer.

  The question is whether any of the potential effects on animals applies to humans, recognizing that we are generally exposed to much lower amounts of radiation in our everyday lives when compared to the animals' experimental conditions. It has discovered that certain occupations, including power-line maintenance workers, may have higher exposures. Scattered, anecdotal reports of a higher-than-expected number called clusters of leukemia or other cancers in a neighborhood near high-voltage power lines have been proof enough for some people that there must be a connection. As a result, despite the low amounts of radiation involved and the lack of convincing evidence that power lines are hazardous to humans, the issue continues to raise concern.”

  “So Samerra…have there been any recent studies on this issue conducted since this was brought to the state's attention?”

  “Well Ma’am over the last twenty years, multiple studies has been published reviewing the effect of high-power voltage lines on human health. Among the most recent was a study from England of more than 83,000 workers in the electricity industry. Researchers found no increase in brain cancer or overall death rate when compared to those who did not work around electromagnetic fields. Reports from major research centers in at least nine countries have come to similar conclusions: There is no compelling evidence of any health hazard from power lines, if power lines have any effect on human health, it is small and research should continue to look for even a small effect on health. These results are reassuring, although they cannot completely declare power lines risk-free. In fact, in another recent study published in June 2005, showed that children living within six-hundred meters of a power line had higher rates of leukemia than those living farther away; however, based on limitations of this type of research including the fact that electromagnetic fields were not actually measured in the homes of these children, the authors of that study were not convinced that power lines truly caused a higher than expected rate of childhood leukemia. That is the position of those opposing that you look into this issue.”

  Congresswoman Lucas looked puzzled as she reached for the thick report that Samerra had in her hands.

  She said to her as they prepared to enter into the restaurant, “This one is not going to be easy…I need more time and evidence on this before I take this to the committee!”

  As they entered the private dining area of the restaurant, several lobbyists were sitting at the table. However, what took the Congresswoman by surprise was the young Caucasian boy sitting at the far end of the table directly facing her. The boy couldn’t have been any older then twelve years old as he sat there completely bald. His eyebrows were missing and he had several open scares all around his head and neck.

  She sighed while she tried not to gaze at the young boy when he turned slowly toward her. When their eyes met, he just gazed at her with burning eyes full of sorrow. She could feel his pain when his gazed demanding answers as to why he was tormented with this terrible disease. She swallowed hard when she thought, “Damn…this poor child…what’s really going on back home?”

  Several hours passed while they continued to discuss the power-lines issues. Congresswoman Lucas was trying not to throw up as she heard several of the lobbyists rant about the state laws prohibiting the power-lines from being buried underneath the ground. A representative from the power and light company in question continued to respond with many environmental laws and regulations that supported that the power-lines complied with the state and federal laws. Soon the exchange of information became overwhelming as she stood to her feet, indicating that she had heard enough. As soon as she did this Samerra quickly took over the meeting, “Please everyone…the Congresswoman will review the submitted documents and will respond to the issues after reviewing all of the documents at hand…thank you and have a nice afternoon.”

  Before she could finish her statement, the Congresswoman immediately grabbed Samerra’s hand while they quickly began to stroll toward the exit. When she closed her eyes for a brief second, all she could see was that young boy, sitting there with his scars. She quickly opened them again while they began to stroll away from the dining room area of the restaurant.

  Lauren said to Samerra in a raspy low tone, “We really need to get a handle on this…how did this happen?

  How did we allow this to go on?”

  Samerra smiled slightly when she responded, “Ma’am…I don’t know but as you can see…this is a vast issue and the people involved are not going to give up on this without a fight. They’ll be looking for you to go to the Power and Industry Chair to set up some type of hearing to fix this dilemma…and you know how difficult your relationship with Congressman Thomas Whetstone is…especially since you’ve turned him down on several occasions.”

  Lauren looked at Samerra while she replied, “I know right. Maybe I should’ve f
ucked him like he wanted me too back in 2004 when we were at the National Party Convention in Boston, but I just couldn’t get pass his damn arrogant attitude or his fuckin’ bad ass breathe.”

  Samerra smiled while the chauffeur opened the limousine door, “Congresswoman…I truly understand what you mean…some men just don’t understand that they can get what they want if they just stop thinking about themselves for just one minute…just play the game and clean their funky asses up.”

  They both laughed while they entered the vehicle allowing the chauffeur to close the door. When the car began to leave the area, Congresswoman Lucas looked at Samerra while she replied, “Look…we need to do more research on this…what we really need is someone to soften up old boy, so he’ll give us the support we need from the Power and Industry Committee, but how…how can I do that without promising him some damn trim?”

  Samerra smiled while she responded, “Maybe I can chat with one of my old friends from college Dorena Gentry. She owns one of the largest escort services in the city. I’ll talk to her about getting someone from her service to do this…she owes me one big time. One thing for certain…whoever she uses for this one has to be built like a brick house and well verse concerning politics?”

  The Congresswoman laughed while she replied, “Sounds like a plan…see to it and Samerra if you pull this one off…I’ll see to it that you get whatever you need to move up in this political game…do you understand what I’m saying…ANYTHING.”

  Samerra smiled while she shook her head in the affirmative, turning her head facing out the car window while the limousine passed 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. She looked at the White House while she thought, “I know what I want and I’ll make sure that this goes down right so I can get it.”