From behind her, at the opening of her little cubicle, a gruff voice interrupted her sorting. “You know, a lot of time and taxpayers’ money were expended to generate all that paperwork you’re so casually disposing of.”
Without having to look, she knew that Master Sergeant Theodore Valineski had caught her. Allowing a smile to crease her lips, Nancy swiveled about on her worn gray chair and faced Valineski. Of all the people in the office, Nancy felt most at ease with the old master sergeant who was universally known as Teddy by officer and enlisted alike. From her first day as a member of that headquarters, Valineski had made her feel welcome, a feeling that was still a rarity. Laying the half sorted stack of papers in her lap, Nancy leaned back in her chair. “Teddy, believe me when I tell you, I know exactly how much effort is wasted, I mean expended, in coming up with this, ah …”
“Bullshit?” Valineski replied.
“Well, that’s not the first word I would have selected to describe it, but it is an excellent choice.”
“Not to mention applicable,” Valineski added as he leaned against the wobbly office partition.
“Yes, well, be that as it may. The truth of the matter is, if I went through every notice, directive, and non-training related piece of paper that came across my desk, I’d need to spend a second weekend a month in this office just to do all the work I failed to finish because I was reading that, ah …”
“Bullshit.”
“Yes,” Nancy responded. Then, changing her voice until she sounded like Lily Tomlin, she added, “And that’s the truth.”
The heavyset master sergeant chuckled. “Well, it may be the truth, but it’s all part of the game. And speaking of that, I came by here to inform you that there’ll be a briefing of all headquarters personnel at oh nine hundred hours in the main conference room.”
Letting her smile disappear and shoulders droop, Nancy looked over at the clock suspended from a twisted wire hanger on the partition. “Damn!” she exclaimed before looking back at Valineski. “What’s this earth shattering briefing about? Remedial training on the proper method of boot blousing?”
When Valineski answered, there wasn’t a hint of humor in his voice. “Counter terrorism measures. Seems the attacks on the Federal buildings have gotten some folks mighty concerned, especially since no one’s been fingered for it yet.”
“Yes,” Nancy responded glumly. “I suppose questioning the usual suspects hasn’t produced any leads.”
Straightening up in preparation for going to the next stop in his rounds, Valineski shook his head. “That’s what seems to be giving everyone the willies. If they could come up with a reason, or a group, I imagine everyone could make whatever adjustments they needed to for protection and get on with things. But with this just sort of hanging out there, unanswered, well …”
Changing the direction of the conversation, Nancy leaned forward. “Teddy,” she asked slowly. “Have you been following what they’ve been saying about the Wyoming Guard colonel who was in charge of the troops supporting the FBI at the siege that went bad?”