Georgie
“I apologize that Jameson isn’t here, Mr. Edison,” I said politely after I welcomed Maxwell Edison into our Boston townhouse. We were meeting in the formal living room on the main floor. Lewis and Jenkins lingered around the room like a set of creepy twins. They were my constant bodyguards when Jameson wasn’t around. And right now, they were staring down Maxwell Edison, sending two sets of death glares his way.
“That’s all right. I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me,” he responded.
Maxwell Edison was tall and lean with a head of sandy brown hair and a pair of striking blue eyes that caught me off guard the moment I opened the door. Seeing his picture on the cover of a magazine was one thing; seeing him in person was something else. He was dressed very casually in a pair of slim-fitting khakis and a light blue button-down that was rolled up to his elbows. I felt almost overdressed in my fitted black dress.
“I admire the work you did in California. When Jameson allowed me to voice my opinion about his pick for Secretary of Education, I knew he had to consider you. I’d…I mean, we’d love to take some of the programs you created for a state system and expand them.”
“That is something that I’ve dreamed about doing myself. I’ve been working with a lobbying firm–”
I held up a hand to stop him. “We’re aware of your partnership with Global Education Initiatives. And truthfully, if you’re serious about what we’re offering you, then you need to end that partnership. Jameson has some very serious reservations about that firm, and so do I.”
This information came out as soon as we started the vetting process. Global Education Initiatives promoted itself as a center for K-12 reform and claimed to help hundreds of failing schools turn around. Those claims could not be readily verified, and the waves of controversy were beginning to swirl. Their teacher training program was a hot mess, with many administrators complaining that the teachers who graduated from their program weren’t prepared for a life in the classroom. The goal was to keep teachers in the classroom and stop the high turnover rate, and Global Education Initiatives was failing. I refused to support an organization that failed at providing students with a qualified teacher who wasn’t going to leave mid-year.
Maxwell nodded his head, indicating he understood my concerns. “Of course. That won’t be a problem.”
The skeptic in me perked up because if his partnership with this firm was important, then severing ties wouldn’t be so easy. I recalled what Jameson said, that he bullied his way into things. My assurances to Jameson would mean nothing if I allowed this man to play me.
“We’ve compiled a list of items that raised red flags for us. Please, take your time to get everything in order. The worst thing that could happen is all these things come back to hurt your nomination.”
Maxwell sat forward, resting his long arms on his knees, and set his gaze right on me. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “Georgie.” The way he said my name didn’t sit well with me; it made me nervous. We weren’t on familiar terms, yet still he addressed me so casually. “I don’t want the committee to reject me. I realize the enormity of this situation, and what you and the president-elect are asking of me. I am truly humbled by this opportunity.”
My eyes narrowed automatically, and my bullshit meter was going spastic. I’d seen this guy lecture on education reform; I’d seen his passion, and the guy sitting in front of me was not the man I recommended Jameson nominate.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Edison, but I don’t think this is going to work.” I stood and extended my hand. “I apologize for wasting your time.”
Movement from the corner of the room caught my attention. Lewis and Jenkins sprang to life and were all too eager to escort Maxwell Edison out of the room. I guess they didn’t like him either. I looked back at Maxwell, who looked surprised.
“Wh-what do you mean?”
“Mr. Edison, I’ve read every article you’ve ever published about education reform. I’ve watched videos of every lecture you’ve given. Your passion and drive and commitment are the reasons why I begged Jameson to consider you. The man who arrived today is not the man I expected.”
Maxwell practically flopped back onto the couch. He looked up at me with a defeated stare. “You’re right. My nerves got the better of me today. I am committed and passionate about bringing the changes we implemented in California to the rest of the country. Let me prove it to you.”
“Fine. You’ve got fifteen minutes to sell me on the idea that you think will work nationwide.”
I shot Lewis and Jenkins a glare, sending them cowering back into their respective corners, and returned to the stiff armchair that I claimed earlier. For the next twenty minutes, I listened as Maxwell thoroughly explained how teacher preparation programs across the country could benefit from the changes made by colleges and universities in California.
“That’s the heart of everything,” he said. “We constantly compare ourselves to these other countries, but there are huge, glaring differences, and one of them is teacher preparation programs. If we want our students to learn from the best, then we need to recruit the best. We need to identify those candidates and work with them, provide them with incentives to become teachers, and not doctors or lawyers or engineers. Teaching needs a PR overhaul in order to retain those people.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more, Mr. Edison.” This was the man I wanted to meet, the one who captivated the entire education world with his promise of reform and revolution.
“Then let’s figure out a way to do it. Together. And please, call me Max.”
Our meeting transformed into something entirely different. We moved to the cozy eat-in kitchen, and I ordered dinner for us both from a Thai restaurant. The more I talked to Max, the more fascinating he became, and that was both wonderful and dangerous at the same time. The desire and passion for a career that I left behind stirred to life, like an old ghost resurrected. My body seemed to physically ache with the need to put myself front and center of all this. I wanted to be both the first lady and the Secretary of Education. Jameson’s promises to give me back a career that I yearned to resume echoed in my brain as Max talked. This is what he promised me, I told myself. Let yourself get excited because he promised.
The teacher in me produced pads of paper, pens, and highlighters, and while we gorged ourselves on delicious stir-fry and tom yum soup, ideas quickly filled page after page. I felt lightheaded and giddy from all the ideas generated. Could Max and I save our country’s public education system? What we had were some pretty radical plans.
“This is so fantastic! I’m so sorry that Jameson wasn’t here tonight to listen to all these wonderful ideas. I’ll share them with him when he gets back.”
“Does the president-elect share your same enthusiasm for education reform?”
“Yes, of course. It’s one of the reasons why I initially voted for him, and why I agreed to his proposal. I’d never support a candidate who didn’t want to invest in the American public education system.”
“In case I haven’t already said it, I appreciate all the support you’ve already give me,” Max said humbly as we cleaned up the kitchen table.
I smiled appreciatively. This was the man for the job. Now, I just needed to convince Jameson to nominate him.