"You're telling me you cannot say yes to the proposal?" Maggie Graham was moving closer to the Brazilian President, "What are your alternatives?"
"Magggeeie", he wanted to keep her affection while reasoning, "Texico is too new, too different, too audacious. These things take time to mature."
"What things?” she asked while taking his hand. The Texican Secretary of State was an articulate and educated woman of 35. Her face was flawless and her beauty moved in an upright posture, shoulders back.
"Relationships. Only a decade ago it was Mexicans and Americans. Then the Texans got fed up and wanted to do it their way. Nothing wrong with that, but we have concerns about the Texan influence in Texico. Brazilians know Mexicans, but are leery of people like L. Dean and Barnes."
"Oh, Henrique. You know me. Are you leery of me?" She was close enough to whisper and the President could smell the aromas of lotions, perfumes, and human scents. They had spent the evening dining together at the Palacia da Alvorada, the official residence of the President. Henrique Diego Almeida was a hero in his homeland but famously prone to a wandering eye. The silk white, Irish blooded, green eyed face of Maggie Graham was inches from his lips. Her eyes closed and she kissed him for an extended period. She moved closer to him and her hair fell down. He knew resisting was hopeless and he knew the deal with the Texicans for petroleum rights and refinery development would be announced the next day. The Western Hemisphere Oil Alliance (WHOA) with Canada, Texico, and Brazil would bring Texico gas prices to 1970's levels for it's citizens and ensure the heating and transportation industries would continue to thrive from Rio de Janeiro to New Foundland for all three nations. The Americans continued to rely on the English and Saudi's for oil, the mighty Gulf of Mexico no longer their own. By 2030, the entire American oil industry went bankrupt due to government regulations and controls and gas was $20 a gallon. The bones of Andrew Jackson, the fiercly independent president of the people and who the American twenty dollar bill is named for, was likely shifting dirt around. The bones of Sam Houston, his protege and fellow Tennesseean, were getting the last laugh.
The wind powered most of the Texico's domestic needs. Critics argued that wind could not produce on-demand power. When a Texico A&M scientist, Dr. Dale DeVille, discovered a method to store up electricity, Texico city's were assured of illumination and evening celebrations. In addition, because the government no longer provided lighting of any kind to cities, towns, or estados, power was only used when needed. Corporations were looking for profits and lighting up a high-rise building so you can see it from afar, wasn't worth the expense. St. Patrick's Day or not. Nighttime skylines were obsolete in Texico. Only the street levels were lit. Neon and bright.
"Did you get to sleep last night, Henrique?” a stretching Maggie asked when she woke with the sun rise. Her hands were behind her head, elbows bent out. He turned from the window where he was standing and smiled wearily at her.
"Like a king." he said.
"Magggeeie", he wanted to keep her affection while reasoning, "Texico is too new, too different, too audacious. These things take time to mature."
"What things?” she asked while taking his hand. The Texican Secretary of State was an articulate and educated woman of 35. Her face was flawless and her beauty moved in an upright posture, shoulders back.
"Relationships. Only a decade ago it was Mexicans and Americans. Then the Texans got fed up and wanted to do it their way. Nothing wrong with that, but we have concerns about the Texan influence in Texico. Brazilians know Mexicans, but are leery of people like L. Dean and Barnes."
"Oh, Henrique. You know me. Are you leery of me?" She was close enough to whisper and the President could smell the aromas of lotions, perfumes, and human scents. They had spent the evening dining together at the Palacia da Alvorada, the official residence of the President. Henrique Diego Almeida was a hero in his homeland but famously prone to a wandering eye. The silk white, Irish blooded, green eyed face of Maggie Graham was inches from his lips. Her eyes closed and she kissed him for an extended period. She moved closer to him and her hair fell down. He knew resisting was hopeless and he knew the deal with the Texicans for petroleum rights and refinery development would be announced the next day. The Western Hemisphere Oil Alliance (WHOA) with Canada, Texico, and Brazil would bring Texico gas prices to 1970's levels for it's citizens and ensure the heating and transportation industries would continue to thrive from Rio de Janeiro to New Foundland for all three nations. The Americans continued to rely on the English and Saudi's for oil, the mighty Gulf of Mexico no longer their own. By 2030, the entire American oil industry went bankrupt due to government regulations and controls and gas was $20 a gallon. The bones of Andrew Jackson, the fiercly independent president of the people and who the American twenty dollar bill is named for, was likely shifting dirt around. The bones of Sam Houston, his protege and fellow Tennesseean, were getting the last laugh.
The wind powered most of the Texico's domestic needs. Critics argued that wind could not produce on-demand power. When a Texico A&M scientist, Dr. Dale DeVille, discovered a method to store up electricity, Texico city's were assured of illumination and evening celebrations. In addition, because the government no longer provided lighting of any kind to cities, towns, or estados, power was only used when needed. Corporations were looking for profits and lighting up a high-rise building so you can see it from afar, wasn't worth the expense. St. Patrick's Day or not. Nighttime skylines were obsolete in Texico. Only the street levels were lit. Neon and bright.
"Did you get to sleep last night, Henrique?” a stretching Maggie asked when she woke with the sun rise. Her hands were behind her head, elbows bent out. He turned from the window where he was standing and smiled wearily at her.
"Like a king." he said.