Scene: Jordan’s office. Just finished a conversation with POTUS.

Jordan: “Gelly, could you do me a favor, please?”

Gelly: “Yes, I’ll get you some coffee.”

Jordan: “How’d you know what I wanted?”

Gelly: “You are so predictable. I mean really.”

Jordan: “You sound like JC. Why do women give me such a hard time?”

Gelly: “Because you’re such an easy target. I’ll be right back.”

(Short break) Jordan: “Thanks for the coffee.”

Gelly: “You’re welcome. Conversation with POTUS go OK?”

Jordan: “Fairly well. I’ll get an assignment but that’s OK. I like to help.”

Gelly: “Anything you can talk about? Or do you face double-secret probation if you tell me?”

Jordan: “Topic was…or is how we rebuild manufacturing in the US.”

Gelly: “That’s a topic I like.”

Jordan: “Why’s that?”

Gelly: “I come from a manufacturing background. My father worked at Buick in Flint and my grandfather worked at Fisher Body in Flint.”

Jordan: “Why did I not know that? Were they hourly or salary?”

Gelly: “UAW and very proud of it.”

Jordan: “If your grandfather worked at Fisher Body and given how old you are…”

Gelly: “…but not as old as you.”

Jordan: “I know. Could your grandfather have participated in…”

Gelly: “…the sit-down strike? Yes he did and he was very proud of it until the day he died.”

Jordan: “The sit-down strike at Fisher #1 really changed lives for a lot of families.”

Gelly: “If you ask me, the change was all for the better.”

Jordan: “Why do you think so? A lot of people today think the unions, and especially the UAW, are the reason so many companies sent manufacturing off shore.”

Gelly: “They’re reasoning is BS. Try working for low wages and no job security. Look, I’m not saying the UAW was perfect but I do know that wages were a whole lot more equitable than they were before the union and even now.”

Jordan: “I don’t think I’ve seen you this fired up before.”

Gelly: “Because of the UAW, our family was able to afford a decent house and have a decent life.”

Jordan: “What about schooling?”

Gelly: “My sister and I were the first members of the family to go to college.”

Jordan: “She go to Michigan State also?”

Gelly: “Another Spartan. We couldn’t afford that rich kids school in Ann Arbor.”

Jordan: “Now, now. Let’s not get personal.”

Gelly: “You know what I meant, Jordan. I just get tired of people who trash working class families. And I really get upset when people trash Flint and Detroit.”

Jordan: “But both cities are in the dumper. Coming back a bit now but a long way to go.”

Gelly: “People need to understand and appreciate what Detroit and Flint have done for America.”

Jordan: “You mean more than The Four Tops, The Spinners, The Supremes, Aretha…Motown?”

Greenie: “Seriously, Jordan, if it weren’t for the auto companies and auto workers, the world might be a different place. In just a few months after WWII started, the plants went from making cars to making tanks and airplanes. Buick even made engines for bombers. Seems to me the people in France and Belgium have more respect for what the companies and workers did than the people in America. Makes me angry.”

Jordan: “It is an amazing story, which very few people seem to appreciate.”

Gelly: “Maybe you should make the southeast Michigan story part of your conversation with POTUS.”

Jordan: “Interesting idea. People can talk all they want about software zillionaires, social media and the like. At the end of the day, a country’s value comes from manufacturing things. Software is a great enabler. But you still have to manufacture stuff.”

Gelly: “I’d really appreciate it if you would mention it to POTUS. I sometimes think I’ve let my family down because my job is to push paper around and not really make stuff.”

Jordan: “Gelly, I’m certain your family is very proud of you. And I am very proud of you for how you respect what they’ve done.”