The black limo pulled up to the front of the Bernhardt McPherson law firm on Farragut Square and when the doors opened a spry man with a neat looking golf hat with a schnauzer on a leash emerged. A ritual over the years in the senate parking lot space reserved for the majority leader found new expression on the streets of mid town Washington. After the entrance of the driver named Wilbur a tall good looking man with a pencil wrapped around a good set of right hand fingers exited the limo and walked briskly to the elevator bank where I greeted him.

Good morning Mr Majority Leader and I will see you upstairs in a few minutes to talk about a new client you just brought in..the Government of Cyprus. As I greeted our new partner Bob Dole.

The Dole office was the epitome of power. A huge desk, comfortable sofas and an assistant who brought in fresh flowers and offered guests freshly brewed coffee. The little schnauzer aptly named Leader was allowed to roam freely having been unleashed by Wilbur the factotum and chauffeur.

Dole the warrior. From that day in the Italian campaign the explosion wrecked his body but not his spirit. And there he was in front of me, he American hero and presidential candidate.

   

Jocular as always with a broad Kansas grin we were called in to discuss the travails of the firm with one of its prized clients ..the ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus the daunting and terrifying Madam Marcoulus. We were getting ready for a summit meeting at a lunch in the Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown to be hosted by the Senator to face down the Madam Ambassador for complaining about our billings which were in delinquency.

As Dole walked through the Hotel lobby with me in pursuit he was greeted heartily by the passerby's. The magic of an instant celebrity. Awesome to say the least.

Soon we were seated around large table and even then the well wishers came by. Almost like on the campaign trail.

   

The Cyprus ambassador came dressed for the occasion with a Hermès scarf and a beautifully bejeweled dress. And so we ordered and were well served. The lunch was full of idle chatter and not much serious talk about overdue bills. The waiters hovered over us seeking to fill all our requests. From the small vial of tomato juice to a nice filet of sole topped by an ice tea since the senator eschewed alcohol. Madam ambassador too was thoroughly enjoying herself with the small banter but was unaware of the gathering storm.

As the old adage goes...nobody stiffs a Dole.

As the plates were cleared for a strawberry and cream desert our meal came to a pleasant end...for now. As we got up to leave the Senator took Madam Ambassador by the arm..his good one, not the one withered by the German shell on that freezing day in the Apennines and the two walked out down the lobby floor with me trailing at a respectful distance.

The senator whispered into Madam Ambassador's ear and as I later learned told her that if our bill wasn't paid he would be calling her boss and his good friend and ally the Cyprus foreign minister who could always be counted on for Dole to approve the next funding bill for Nicosia. And he would give the Minister an earful about how wonderfully well his firm has served Cyprus. Madam Ambassador almost fell to the ground on hearing this news and regained her regal exposure and walked out the door alone to her waiting limo with the diplomatic plates. The senator looked over to me with his usual grin an raided his good hand with a thumbs up sign.

The fee arrived by express diplomatic pouch and at our weekly meeting at the embassy madam Ambassador couldn't have been nicer.