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Message: <blockquote data-quote="stevew" data-source="post: 247952" data-attributes="member: 130">Episode 2 part 2Carol says, “I’ve heard so many good things. Your new job. Working with your father. Friends with Richard Channing’s neice.”“I’m not one for social media so I’m not sure where you heard all this.”“Oh around. So, Arnold. Tibet.”“Oh actually I was trying to change the conversation around to Jacobi. He’s on the board of the Education for All Foundation. I was fascinated about the idea. The Ewing’s behind such a thing. The idea is to provide trillions of dollars so that every American can attend a university, public or private.”Jacobi says, “Vouchers that cover some of the costs and then national service to pay off student loans. Teaching for ten years would be one way to forgive loans. Service in the military reverse corps and a new health care reserve corps for twenty would pay off pretty much anything. The idea is we don’t have an employment problem, we have a training and education problem. We’ve got plenty of jobs which go unfilled because people don’t take their schooling serious. We’ve got the best schools in the world, so let’s make sure everyone either becomes a very highly qualified specialist or very broad generalist leading the way.”Sophie applauds sarcastically. “One problem. It’s costly.”“Well of course. It costs money to drill for oil, doesn’t mean you leave the oil underground because you don’t want to be burdened with the coast of bringing it up.”“Who pays it?”“That’s another issue Congress will have to take up. For decades everything just keeps getting put off, borrowing like there’s no tomorrow. I suppose at some point this nation has to wake up for drug induced stupidity it’s been on. But that’s a whole ‘nother debate.”“So pay for this program and then come up with the financing?”“You know as well as I do, this nation has the money to fund such a thing.”“Oh I see, so take it from people like me who earn it and give it to those who don’t. That’s the answer of the Ewings. Take from the rich to give to the poor.”“Mrs. Barkley, you and I both know people like you and me don’t earn money. Make put together schemes to generate money off of which we skim as much as we can, at best. Some of us just rack in what their parents or grandparents did. So this pretense that you earned money like you were sent down into coal mine, isn’t even dignified. But I’m talking an investment. Adam Smith was clear about the role of education and in order to run the free market economy which our founding fathers set up for us, we need to keep pushing that education component. This nation wasn’t set up by a bunch of usurping rebels.”The gathering watches at the two spar.“What I want to know is why the about face for the Ewings. You supported Bower. Where was this Education for All then?”“We most certainly discussed it. His Secretary of Education strongly supported vouchers so that parent can pick the schools of their choice, not subject them to the segregation of local school districts. But as we’ve been clear regarding our disappointment with Bower, our priorities were not addressed.”“Disappointment,” a young woman scoffs. “He was vulgar. What did you expect?”Jacobi says, “Vouchers. School choice. Sufficient higher education financing so that America can compete. Look it, no doubt, you drop off all our schools meant just to warehouse kids who don’t want an education, who’s family don’t want an education for their kids, who wouldn’t know an education if it bit them in the ass, and we compete. Best schools in the world. But that’s not good enough. Because you add them all in and this country isn’t competing is it.”Carol says, “I read such about health care. Best health care in the world for those which sufficient insurance. We end up competing with Papua New Guinea when you include them.” There’s a chuckle. “But the fact is even with the America Cares Act there are still Americans, millions, who just don’t want health care.”A young man corrects her, “No not really. View few don’t want health care, I mean nothing at all, not just the anti-vaxxers. But very few people in this county don’t want health care. They just don’t want to pay for it. They figure they’ll pay for it when something happens, but they can’t afford it then, so worst case scenario they figure they’ll file bankruptcy or some such or ignore the bills or if they’re lucky, truly lucky, they’ll never need health care. But they grab their chest and go down, better believe that expect to be treated.”Carol responds, “Good point.”Sophie says, “Could we have a don’t respond list? They call an ambulance and it rushes out only to call and says, hey you declined health care so we’re sending the ambulance back.”“Wow,” Arnold remarks.“Well, if you don’t really want health care.”Carol says, “Now that’s what I’d expect from the Ewings. No offense sweetheart. It’s just hard for me to figure out what the Ewings are doing backing the Education for All Act. This is a family drilling in the Artic on leases he got from the Bower administration days before he was forced out of office. Speaking of which. Lucy. How is Lucy doing? I don’t know if you all know it, but Jacobi’s cousin Lucy owns the Pacifica magazine, you know like the Post and the Times and all those other so called fake news venues going after Bower for over four years now.”“Lucy’s just fine. She’s in D. C. for the fall. She stayed in New York until Fashion Week ended but then decided to put off Europe to see me settle down here. She’s like a mom to me.”Carol raises her eyes.Sophie, looking mischievous, claps her hands together and says, “Well, the first course is ready. Shall we head in?”In the dining room the group of associates talk politics, art and philanthropy around the table in small groups.Mattie steps out of a hot shower and dries off with a towel before wrapping it around his waist. He then combs his hair back and walks out of the rooms into the bedroom. “Have you heard the name Trieceum?” he asks Arnold, sitting up in bed reading a Coelho novel.Arnold looks disturbed, “What?”“Trieceum? I’m kinda caught in this long term investigation, which has popped up again, and the name Trieceum pops up. Not often, but it does.”“Why would I know something like that?”“I’m just wondering if you’ve heard the word.”“Is it a word? In what language?”“Well I thought you might now. Trie is apparently a computer term.”“Tree, like a walnut tree?”“No. T. R. I. E.”“Oh. Well, it has to do with data structures. But I don’t know what Trieceum means.”“And you have never heard the word?”“No. Why would I?”“Well sometimes in my research your Uncle Dia comes up. And sometimes Richard Channing.”“If you’re digging into my uncle or into Richard Channing’s life, I’d advise you not to.”Mattie sits on the bed and leans into Arnold. “And why’s that?”“I know them Mattie. Just leave it at that.” Arnold start to get out of bed. “Maybe I should just go.”“No. No please stay. Spend the night.”“I don’t know. Sounds like a big step. Spending the night.”“Maybe it is. Is that so bad?”“No. Just quick. I need to get to know you better. And I’d like to get to know you better.”“What better way than to lay here in the dark and talk?”Arnold looks over Mattie’s face, examining, breaking into a grin. “About what?”“What do you want to talk about?”“If you could just stop right now and go away, where would you go, what would you do?”Mattie thinks for a minute and then lays on his back, starting to tell his story as Arnold lays back in bed, the two cuddling into each other’s arms.Arnold walks into Dia’s office. Dia sits on the sofa, leaning back, eyes closed. Arnold says, “We really need to talk.”Without opening his eyes, Dia says, “OK. Talk.”Arnold takes out his phone and after moving through the screens for a bit a ‘dinkg’ comes to Dia’s phone, sitting next to him on the sofa. Dia picks it up and looks at it. His express of clam does not change. “Why would you send me these?”“Three people Mattie is investigating.”Dia sits up. “Really. OK. And?”“They’re advisors to Bower, through which much the bull shit about a stolen election flowed.”“Go on.”“Mattie’s looking for their connection. He’s certain they worked together, under someone’s direction, someone who knew very well they were peddling lies to fan the fire. At least that’s his theory.”“Why bring it to me.”“I’ve found that someone.”“And you’ve shared with Mattie?”“No. All three have a connection to Branch Water. The paramilitary group John Ross Ewing put together with Harris Ryland’s CIA contacts. Ryland’s rotting away in prison and Ewing manages to turn them into a business, which is a lot deeper than paramilitary.”“So what. We all know the Ewing’s backed Bower. Or at least did. They seem to have soured on him, from what I hear.”“You do more than hear.”“Do I?”“Earl Ashford.”“Why do you mention him?”“An old friend of yours.”“By way of both of us spending a lot of time in Hong Kong in the seventies and eighties. I know his son well. He lives in South Africa; his son I mean. His father, Lord Ashford attempted mining.”“He attempted a lot things. Movie making. He was also married to Sue Ellen Ewing. John Ross Ewing’s mother.”“Oh. I see. Are you trying to tell me that there’s a link between me and John Ross Ewing? Because if you are, it certainly is only a coincidence.”“Those three people knew fully what they were doing. John Ross Ewing was in on it and so were you. Probably Don Lockwood. Probably Richard Channing.”“Careful where you’re taking this.”“You know where I’m taking this.”Dia stands up.A meeting of lawyers discusses losing Rio Tagus account. One man says to another, “Find out why, an Australian mining company just wakes up one morning to drop us as their U.S. retainer. Doesn’t make sense. I want to know why.”A nock from the class door and woman pops in. “Excuse me. Mr. Sumner. There’s a woman to see you, Sophie Barkley.”Mattie turns around. “Thank you.”The man at the head of the table. “Sophie Barkley?”“Friend of a friend.”“Who could hand us the Geoberti Family Estate’s account. You’d better go.”“Don’t count on it.” Mattie shoves off from the table, seeming a bit perturbed.Mattie walks into his office to find Sophie looking around at the paintings on his walls, the books and the knickknacks. “You were on the row team,” she states without looking at him, just knowing he was at the door.“Why are you here?”“I was in the area and thought you’d like to have lunch. Didn’t that secretary tell you? I didn’t interrupt a meeting did I?”“Of course you did. And no I don’t want to have lunch.”“You left abruptly last night, right as others were leaving. I thought you’d at least stay until Mattie and Arnold left. I had an idea I wanted to pitch.”“An idea. Well go ahead.”“I wanted to pitch it with the four of us together.”“Well I assume you ran it by them last night and so now run it by me.”“My Uncle’s Yacht is just up in New York. I was thinking, we could borrow it head up the coast to see the color, maybe to Quebec City. What do you think?”“Sounds boring to me. If that’s all, I should return to my meeting. Uncle that is you have something else, maybe you want to talk about giving us Geoberti Family Estate’s legal business.”Sophie scoffs, “No. I’ve very happy as things are. But, maybe if you come up to New York with me, you could talk to my Uncle Richard before we set sale. If he’s willing to change legal representation, I have no objections.”“Next time he’s in D.C.”“You were upset I invited your mom to dinner last night.”“Not were and not mom. Mother. Biological mother. My mom is Pamela Ewing.”“It’s so sweet how she took you in like a son. And Lucy. That must have been something, growing up with Lucy Ewing. Didn’t Pamela adopt all three of your children? I mean the others. She didn’t adopt you.”“I’m not talk about my family with you. But next time you have this idea to stick your nose into my family business, stick it someplace else.”“So you weren’t thrilled to see her.”“I have to get back to work.”“Why? What’s up.”“Good bye Sophie.” Jacobi walks out of his office leaving her behind. He says to the secretary outside his door, “Show Mrs. Barkley to the elevator.”That evening at dark bar in D.C. Arnold shoots pool with a stranger by Mattie spits a drink at the bar, watching the game on the TV overhead. Jacobi sits down. “Bourbon and water.”“Hey Jacobi,” Mattie says. “I gotta say, I didn’t expect you.”“You said most Monday’s is the night.”“Yeah. Long day for me in meetings all day. Most of the rest of the weak is flexible, but Mondays. So I been coming here for a while to unwind.”“Bringing Arnold with you, ha?”“Yeah. He’s kind of a hustler. This’ll be the fourth game he’s almost won. He keeps putting more and more down. Next one, well.”“Oh I see.”“So that was your mom the other night. Carol Lynn David. Damn. John Ross Ewing’s your dad and Carol Lynn David as your mom.”“My mom’s Pamela Ewing. Carol Lynn David just screwed around with my dad and then nine months later I came along.”“Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to strike a shore spot.”“It’s not. Just what it is. How I hear the story is they meet when my dad was in New York visiting Lucy. She was an up and coming Wall Street hack. Her father started out on the trading room floor worked his way up to CEO. Called him Big Black Chuck.”“Cause he was a big black man?”“Because he brought he black death. He wasn’t a big man, scrawny really, short. He’d come into a company and everyone would throw up from fear. He’d come in and tear a company apart. Piece by piece. One guy told me he could ring every last dime of profit out a bloated company by tearing it apart and axing executives. Known for going after then after the fact, law suits that would leave them whipped out. Said it was the danger of being an executive. If you want a chance to make the big bucks, you better make the owners bigger bucks.”“So you did get to know him.”“No. Just the legion. Much like the legion of JR Ewing. And her mother, she’s a beautiful singer, blues, jazz. And of course my father’s mother, Sue Ellen. She once told me that grandpa proposed to her over their first dance. Well he said, I think I’m gonna marry you.”“He must have been on firm ground.”“She told him that if she had a nickel for every man who had said that to her, she’d be a rich woman.”“Oh. Wow. So just as confident.”“I guess at some point she must have been. She is now, but for a while I know she struggled with confidence. She has this letter from my grandfather. He says in it his one regret in life is he didn’t get to have just one more dinner with her. One more chance to look across the table and see her face and dream that just maybe, maybe she did actually love him.”“Your grandfather didn’t think your grandmother loved him?”“He probably thought she married the most eligible bachelor in Texas, the son of Jock Ewing and all the money that came with it. And like she said, it was probably true at first. But then for him, he married the most beautiful blue blood Texas had ever spawned. And she knew why he married her. At least at first. And as the legion goes, they nearly destroyed each other over it and somewhere in their he fell in love with her. To this day, no one knows from where, but flowers show up for her, where ever the world she is on Friday.”“Friday? Like every Friday?”“Every Friday.”“Wow. And she still cries herself to sleep, every Friday, missing him terribly, just like she let herself every Friday before he died. They were divorced for a long time.”“I read Lacey’s book on the Ewing. Apparently Ewing men never get over that one woman.”“Oh yes. Yes. Well my father dotes on my mother. He takes very good care of her.”“Not to pry, but she has a mental issue, at least I hear.”“She has difficulties. So did her father and her aunts. My Uncle Bobby takes care of my Aunt Pam to this day. When he found her in that institution, he brought her home and has never left her side. She has her good days and her bad.”“Yeah I read that. No one really knows what mental illness the Barnes’s deal with but that they’ve all struggled. All the children of Rebecca Wentworth.”“My mother and Aunt Ellie are Rebecca’s only biological grandchildren and my mother won’t have any biological children.”“Your Aunt Ellie is your grandfather and Katherine Wentworth’s daughter?”“Despite the feud you must have read a lot about, the Barnes and Ewing family is just one family.”“Yes I remember. Must be something, coming from such a family.”“And your family?”“Oh my mother and father have been divorced for a while. They do love each other. It’s just easier to live part I guess.”“Your mother is a Matheson as in Winston Matheson, the company Richard Channing and the Chi’s took over.”Yes. Richard Channing is the Chairman of Winston Matheson and Arnold’s Uncle Dia is the President and CEO.”“Now that’s a man to get to know. Richard Channing. The Seer of ‘Cisco.”“True. But I don’t bring it up with Arnold. I don’t want him to think I’m using him to get in contact with people.”“I’m sure your father’s name provides plenty of contacts.”“He’s been in politics a long time. Considers Richard Channing a friend, though I’ve never meet him.”“Sophie mentioned the four of us borrowing his yacht to sail up to Quebec City to see the fall color.”“Oh that would be beautiful. Are we doing it?”“I’m not really talking to her after her stunt with my mother.”“Ah. I see. You have seen the MaggieMae?”“What’s the MaggieMae?”“Richard Channing’s superyacht. It’s over 500 feet long.”“Oh. Impressive I guess.”“You guess. You really are a Ewing.”“You’ll have to excuse me.” Jacobi gets up and walks over to two girls at the other end of the bar and starts chatting them up.Arnold takes his place and says, “Wow, he just got here.”Mattie says, “I thought he was seeing Sophie.”“I guess he’s better off not. I kinda warned him off her.”“You warned him off Sophie. Why?”“Don’t get me wrong. I love Sophie, but she tends to use people and I didn’t want to see her get hurt.”“She uses people and she’s the one that would get hurt.”“Oh I’m sure Jacobi could too, I don’t know, but yes Sophie gets hurt.”“Then maybe she shouldn’t use people”“And maybe the sun should come up in the west for a change.”“So how much did you fleece out of the new people?”“Little over five hundred. This city’s full of too many broke people.”“I wanted to talk to you about meeting your uncle. Do you think you could arrange it?”“You’re talking about for a story?”“Yes.”“Then no. He won’t talk to you.”“Any informal way we could set it up?”“No.”Jacobi rolls around in bed with the two beautiful girls from the bar.In the morning Greg Sumner is being shown the law offices when Jacobi comes into work. The older man showing Greg around says, “Jacobi. I’d like you to meet Senator Greg Sumner.”“Senator Sumner,” Jacobi says, holding out his hand.“This is Jacobi Ewing, one of bright young new hires.”“Hello Mr. Ewing. Your father gave a lot of money last year to my opponent.”“Just placating the Republicans in California. No change of unseating you.”“It is the game we play. I’m looking for a new legal team. Seems mine is engaged in a bit of controversy at the movement along with some of your father’s placated friends.”“Yes I noticed.”Jacobi works in his office, reading at his desk when Greg knocks and enters. “Mind if I come in.”“No. Of course not.” Jacobi stands and offers his hands. The two shake. “Please take a seat.”“Thank you. Nice view.”“Not bad.”“I think you can see my office from here. I don’t know. I’m not in it much. I actually hate working in the Senate Office Building.”“Sure I can see that. I’m trying to freshen up for a meeting later today. Something I can help you with?”“I want you to be responsible for my retainer.”“For your campaign.”“Personal and campaign.”“Not that I don’t appreciate it, but I’m thinking it seems unusual. My experience, or lack thereof, my father’s opposing political position.”Greg smiles, a bit amused, “There is no opposing political position between myself and your father. You’ll find we agree far more than we disagree. This Education for All Bill for example.”“That’s highly unusual for him.”“Maybe. You’ve heard about Senator Hardtack?”“Yes. An old friend of my fathers.”“He wouldn’t support the Education for All Bill, I heard.”“No he wouldn’t. My father sent me to talk to him.”“Yes. The whole city’s talking about it. He denied you and then he denied your father. Then he was arrested.”“You’re not suggesting the two are linked?”“You think they’re not. Hardtack hated Bower. Then overnight he bent over and took up the ass anything Bower feed him. Why do you think that is?”“Bower had something on him.”“Well Bower wouldn’t be the only one.”“My father as well?”“Your guess is as good as mine but seems like a logical conclusion.”“But then why wouldn’t Hardtack not just do as my father wanted?”“Two opposing masters.”“So my father went to him, threatened him and then Hardtack called his bluff.”Greg laughs. “Men like your father don’t threaten and they don’t bluff. There’s not monologue. They don’t threaten to hurt you. You know they can and you know they will. And when they choose to pull the trigger, they just pull the trigger. Your father has friends in this city and your father has assets. He’s reshuffling his assets. Hardtack an idiot. He thinks he’s had power. What he had was your father feeding him so he performs, like a trained seal, and just like a seal, he has no idea he’s been trained. Then he took a nip at your father. And your father put him down. Can’t trust him anymore and more importantly, all the other train seals need to watch.”“You think Hardtack will go to prison?”“My guess. There’s worse things than prison, worse than death. If I had to guess your father will make Ashley Hardtack wish he’d never been born.”“Exactly who do you think my father is?”“Did you know your grandfather died in a particularly interesting year. President Bush signed legislation to cut the estate tax, bit by bit, all the way down to nothing for one year, and then it had to be authorized. It wasn’t. But that one year without any federal estate tax. That was the year that J. R. Ewing died.”“My grandfather was murdered by my other grandfather.”Greg stands. “Was he? Anyway, the job is yours. You’ll need to meet with my campaign staff next week.” Greg walks out.Senator Judith Brown answers the phone in her office, “John Ross. How are you? . . . Yes of course you can count on me. There’s a lot buried in that Education for All Bill, but if you’re sure it’s what you want, I can’t say no to a dear, old friend.”Donna Dowling picks up the phone in her office, “John Ross . . . Been a long time . . . Yes, I’ve looked over the Education for All Bill. I hate to tell you, I’m supporting it. There’s a lot in there I don’t like, some unrelated but overall, we’ve got to get it passed . . . You’re calling to support it. Really? . . . I agree, it’s about time America became competitive again and that requires training and education, but . . . Well yes I am surprised . . . Well I’d be happy to talk to you about your ideas for an energy bill but I doubt we’d be on the same page . . . Yes, I was Secretary of Energy back then and I’m probably more aware of the workings of the oil industry than anyone on the hill, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to hand big oil whatever it wants . . . You want what? . . . Your father would roll over in his grave if he heard that . . . What about the bottom line for Ewing Industries? . . . Yes, I’m aware the company is a conglomerate, but are you willing to let Ewing Oil take a hit like that . . . You are? . . . Certainly. Next time you’re in D. C. let’s meet to talk . . . Well as one of the loan voices in the party to stand up to Bower it’s been lonely in this town is an understatement . . . I look forward to it . . . Yes, I will. I’ll tell Margret. I’m sure she sends her best too . . . Talk to you soon.” Donna’s face goes white. “Oh yes. Love you too.” She hands up the phone and mumbles, “Aunt Donna?”A knock comes to the door and a woman peaks in. “Senator Connelly’s on the other line.”Donna picks up the phone, “Michelle. Hello. How are you? . . . Yes, I did get a call from John Ross Ewing. In fact, that’s who I was just on the phone talking to . . . No he didn’t talk me out of my vote for the Education for All Bill; he called to support it . . . Well you heard right then . . . We’ll I’m sure you’ll get a call next . . . Well if you don’t I’d say that would be interesting, after all you control the agenda and he has been one of your biggest supporters . . . True he was a big supporter of Hardtack too.”Richard Channing gets out of the back of a limousine and walks to the pillars of the World War II memorial. Lucy steps from behind the pillar of Texas, “I sure hope you know what the hell you’re doing. This country is about to tear itself apart.”“That’s exactly what Bower was elected to do.”“Take it to the brink, not break it.”“Nothing’s out of control. It’s just getting interesting.”Riots lead to arm insurrection in St. Louis, Missouri, shots fired, bodies fall, tear gas spreads, explosions and the side of a fifteen story building comes crashing down.</blockquote>

Verification: Who played JR Ewing?