(Readers: Please note this blog is constructed as a story. While not all chapters are linked, I think the story will be more meaningful by starting at the beginning, Entry #2.  More about the author and background of the blog, Entry #1.)

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Scene: Restroom in indusial building.

King III:     “It really pisses me off having to clean toilets for those scum bags.”

Caesar:     “Reminds me of my days in basic training…before I became an officer…”

King III: “…and a gentleman.

Caesar:     “King III, you never went in the military, did you.”

King III:     “No need. My lottery number was #310 so I was way down the list. Besides the family knew a doctor who would declare me 4F. Military is not my style.”

Caesar: “It has its benefits. Teaches everyone discipline, some basic skills and allows people to get an education who have little or no money. I just don’t like the part about going to war.”

King III: “You getting brainwashed? You’re starting to sound like some Yankee liberal.”

Caesar: “No I’m not getting brainwashed. We are the ones who went astray. All we had to do was keep the people fed and let them believe they could be successful or their kids could be successful if they worked hard.”

King III: “We did and they became leeches.”

Caesar: “No we didn’t. I started with nothing but I made it.”

King III:  “But you worked hard. You deserve your success.”

Caesar:  “A lot of people work hard and still don’t make it. How many people clean toilets all their lives and end up with nothing?”

King III: “So what?”

Caesar: “‘So what?’ is that I could have been one of them. But I got lucky and got an education. And I got lucky and got hired by a company where I fit the management style.”

King III: “So what’s stopping people today from doing the same thing you did?”

Caesar: “We’re stopping them. And we need to change and begin to start knocking down barriers that we erected.”

King III:  “You do sound like some Yankee liberal. Wake up!”

Caesar: “King III, you need to wake up. Where are we – at the country club playing golf? At the beach house? At the mountain house? Having drinks at the Ritz-Carlton? No, we’re cleaning toilets in a building run by rebels.”

King III:  “So you want to go back 30-40 years and give up all our stuff?”

Caesar: “No. But there are changes we can make that will allow people to become more mobile. To get out of poverty easier.”

King III:  “Are you saying we caused the problem we’re in now?”

Caesar:  “Not all the problem. But we caused a good part of it. And there’s one way to make sure the revolution is managed properly. We need to get involved.”

King III:  “Now I know you are crazy.”

Caesar: “Not crazy, just realistic. Did you ever read a little book titled, ‘Who Moved My Cheese?‘”

King III: “Heard about it but never read it.”

Caesar: “I had not thought about that book until we started cleaning latrines…restrooms.”

King III: “What’s the book about?”

Caesar: “Two sets of characters – mice and little people. Both feed at this storeroom filled with cheese. Over time the little people start to take the cheese for granted. They also build their life around the cheese. The mice don’t. Then one day the cheese is gone.”

King III: “What happens?”

Caesar: “The mice realize the cheese is gone, don’t overanalyze the situation and begin to look for new cheese. They have lots of fits and starts but they find new cheese.”

King III: “What about the little people?”

Caesar: “The little people hem and haw, analyze why the cheese was moved, begin grousing that the cheese was moved and then start to get very hungry. Finally, one of the little people admits the situation will never be the same and takes off looking for new cheese. Like the mice, he has lots of false starts but eventually finds cheese.”

King III: “What about the other person?”

Caesar: “Story never quite says. But here’s what I know. Our cheese is gone and it is not coming back. I’m headed out looking for new cheese…with the revolutionaries. Better start calling them patriots. George III, you coming and going to join us?”

Scene: Cleo and Queeny reviewing the information from the workgroups.

Queeny: “Wow, the workgroups were really productive.  They described problems and solutions that I think I can understand.”

Cleo: “Just to make sure we understand, why don’t we explain the problems to each other? We’ll alternate. If we can explain, then most everyone else should be able to understand….even Fox News.”

Queeny: “Now, now. Don’t be so hard on Fox News. Even they might come around.”

Cleo:  “OK, let me try. The first issue is why is the public’s confidence is so low about government doing the right thing.

Queeny: “Jordan already talked about that.”

Cleo: “Yes, but let’s see if we really can explain it. The group is saying that if there is no confidence in government, then no matter what solution is proposed, someone is going to trash the idea.”

Queeny: “What did the group say was the cause?”

Cleo: “Same as what Jordan talked about. The decline in confidence started under Ronald Reagan. Remember Reagan’s slogan, “government is the problem, not the solution.'”

Queeny: “Confidence went up during the first part of Reagan’s term, then dropped. Bounced back under Clinton Administration, then plunged after Bush invaded Iraq. It’s been up and down under Obama.  Overall confidence is getting dragged down by Congress.  Seems like many of them belong to the ‘Do Nothing’ party.”

Cleo: “What the group really talks about is how much lower confidence is than under Eisenhower.”

Queeny: “Part of the high confidence was probably because of what Eisenhower did in WWII. Lots of people had great respect for him.”

Cleo:  “Wonder what Republicans of today think of Eisenhower? All those government programs, especially the interstate highway system.”

Queeny: “Republicans today probably want to disown him. Too liberal.”

Cleo:  “I think we’re finished with confidence. OK Queeny, you’re next.”

Queeny: “We already talked about this too. The federal deficit – and the data are the same. Since WWII the deficit has increased more under Republicans than Democrats.”

Cleo: “How can Republicans keep claiming Democrats always increase debt when debt seems to increase more under Republicans? I don’t understand. Somebody’s feeding us bologna.”

Queeny: “And it’s not the numbers that are lying.”

Cleo:  “Whew. This is heady stuff – at least for us. Let’s get some coffee, then we can tackle a couple of other problems.”

Scene:    Enter Caesar

Cleo:  “Well, well, well. Look who’s here. Hail Caesar!”

Caesar: “Cut the drama. Aren’t you glad to see me?”

Cleo:  “Yes, I am. Come here.”

Queeny: “Caesar, where have you been anyway? You OK?”

Caesar:  “Yes. And I have also been cleaning toilets.”

Queeny: “A little payback after all those years. Where’s my hubby King George III?”

Caesar: “Still cleaning toilets as far as I know.”

Cleo: “How did you get out?”

Caesar: “I finally realized what the revolution was about and why you two joined Jordan and them.”

Cleo:  “Great to have you back.”

Caesar:  “By the way, where’s Jordan? The rebels…I mean patriots…agreed to let me go if I reported to Jordan within 24 hours. He is supposed to be around here someplace.”

Queeny: “Last time I saw Jordan he was at the country club. The group is using Pigeon Hollow as headquarters.”

Caesar:  “Oh no. Pigeon Hollow as HQ for the revolution? This new order of things is hard to get used to.”

Cleo: “As much as I want you to stay, you need to go find Jordan. Don’t want to be AWOL.”