Chapter Thirteen:

George Walker Bush is finally off to bed.He pulls the covers back and hops in.He turns over to Laura to snuggle up.George says,"Hey,baby,wantta play some Duke Nukem?"

"Sure,"

"Aaaaaaaaaah!!!"George is again startled.This time enough to jump out of bed-dancing on his tip toes...Mr.Reagan!?!What are you...I mean..how are you...Crap!!!Just Crap!!

Ronnie sits up,pulling the sheets comfortably around his waist.He pats the bed next to him,"Here,George,come sit.We need to talk."

"No thanks.I'll think I'll stand.This is just too creepy on too many levels...yuck."

"Oh come now,George.It's not like I'm gay.I'm grandfatherly."

"This is totally freakin' me out.Huggin' up to the ghost of Reagan...Oooooh."

Now cut it out,George.It's not like I'm Lincoln or anything."

"Wha...?"

"Yes,Lincoln was gay."

"Oooh,I don't care about whose gay.Mary Cheney is gay...and I like her.I like her allot.Some of the nicest people I know are gay.I don't mind gay...A ghost in my bed..your ghost...now,I mind that."

"What?You don't mind gay people."

"Hell,no.Never did.I was taught not to hate.Not to be a hater.It's just an act.Gotta keep the power base happy."

"Well then,is your stance on abortion just a lie,then too?"

"Well,I don't know...I'm sort of wishy washy on that one.But how can I tell a Mother to not have an abortion when I'm sending her kids off to maybe die in Iraq and Afganistan.Again,it's a power base thing.Gotta keep the constituents happy."

"And stem cell research!?!"

"Heeeell,I don't care.If I scratch my arm and a few cells flake off...is that murder?If you're gonna fertilize eggs,and you're not gonna need 'em.What ya gonna do?Throw 'em away?How's that helping anyone?Hell,everything that lives,dies.It's the value of the time lived that counts.Not the length.Only God brings life into the world.Only he can take it out.Isn't it what we do with the life God gave us that counts....You were president.You know.It's a power base thing."

"Why yes..yes..I do."

"And another thing.You know what those people in Iraq need?Jobs.Put a Honda plant in there and bam.You'll have a progress explosion.Not only will ya have Honda...you'll have all the little Honda side plants....stamping plants..glass making plants...wire harness factories.Hell those people would be too busy and tired to tell Sunni from Shiite ...let alone to blow each other up."

"Why,that IS a GOOD idea."

"But Potter says it won't go.Halliburton is the way.He says there are too many lost jobs here.People would complain.I'd lose my power base."

Ronald Reagan pats the side of the bed next to him,and this time George sits down,"Now,George,none of us is perfect.I wanted to strengthen the worker unions,not destroy them,but I was talked out of it.I always wished I could have changed that,but I didn't.But it is not too late for you.Those are good ideas you have."

"Ya,for all the good they do me,"he shrugs his shoulders,"They say they're stupid."

"George,you are the President of The United States Of America.You are the LEADER of the free world."

"Yeah,"says George moping,"So?"

"So Lead.Where the head goes-the body follows.Where you go,the country will go.Don't be some puppet with a hand up your butt.Use your ideas and lead.The Republicans are losing.You're a lame duck.Who cares about your power base?At least don't put them before what is right.Lead,George.Lead,"with that,Ronald Reagan puts his hand on George Bush's shoulder and immediately dissolves away...."Lead,George.Lead,"are his last words as he's departing.