Her Tiger-Print Heels

2 The Meeting

The deputy to Tennessee's Transportation Commissioner walked into Johnny's office. She came with her delightfulness and one thin file folder. She didn't need anything more. She knew what she wanted to convey to Johnny and how to do it.

"Good afternoon, Senator Sexton. I'm so glad we were able to meet together."

"The pleasure is all mine, trust me." Johnny grinned at the lovely woman in front of him. He knew this would be a nice meeting, at least to look at. Nevertheless, the topic of discussion may raise some problems. "It is very nice to finally meet you. Emailing back and forth gets old when face-to-face meetings, the old fashioned way, work best to discuss the issues at hand."

"You're right, Senator. It is," she said. "We need more of these meetings." She smiled, albeit her diplomatic smile, knowing she needed to get this young politician on her side.

A woman's smile, including a diplomatic one, can do deep things to a man's mind. The smile with a glance into a man's eyes and a wink, if even remotely necessary, will flip the male mind. TDOT wanted that flip with Sexton. Flip him, his loyalty and his vote.

The Commissioner put Rachana in control, to get accomplished that which he could not so easily do. Some people might say it's terrible and irreverent that a woman can use her womanliness to push a government effort forward. Politics nonetheless tends always toward power, and it finds ways to get it done. And a woman has an innate power to woo better than an overweight state official. Honestly, sexiness does not stop after entering the public square. Everyone knows it, though few are willing to admit it. The politically correct world doesn't allow for truth to shine but traps truth's true light. People rather live in the dark, hoping its assumptions are right.

But Rachana did not come on her boss's behalf because of her smile or beauty. She knew the transportation issues and the debates surrounding them. She could argue her points and rebut any opposition, leaving those who disagree with her without responses. She could be unforgiving too in her negotiations. Her power made the Commissioner proud he had her on his side.

"Have a seat in my office," Johnny said, offering a comfortable, leather chair. She passed by him with a lingering scent of citrus and lavender and sat on the edge of the seat to show the young guy she came for business. No badgering, no pestering, unless she decided to do it. Then it became fair. She lived by one rule: Rules do not apply to her.

Johnny's office was in one of the older and more historic buildings near the State Capitol building. The ceilings were high and the wood trim gave a regal ambiance to the room. Johnny had his desk, a long couch and two chairs with a coffee table between them. It made for a place to really hash out issues.

"I've wanted to have this meeting with you for a while now. We have some important issues to deal with," Ms. Shah said. "Certainly, we have a bridge to build, and some politics to tear down. You have to consider how important this bridge is to your constituents, Senator Sexton. It will help your constituents get access much more easily to Dickson. They can avoid taking a disappointingly long commute there. In turn, the city's economy and business will spread into your district too. There is plenty of land for development by the bridge and on down the road. It may take a little while, of course. We, at TDOT, have seen it happen though. New access roads and bridges have opened economic growth. How should I say it-" She thought for a moment-"It's like a winter's cold. The people catch the bug and it spreads quickly. All that in a positive sense, of course."

The Senator raised his hand, pausing the conversation Ms. Shah had started. He tried to lighten the mood and calm this power maven. "First, please call me Johnny. In a meeting like this, Johnny is always best. I've found it's a name that builds bridges immediately between people and sides, which cannot be a bad thing, can it?"