The Flag And The Fountain

“He called today.” June said, addressing the studio more so than her husband. She was not anxious for the man she adored to talk to his brother. “Did you tell him I’m not available, to try back in four years?”

“Now stop that, I’m not responding to your ego. I’m talking to the man I love. If you want to argue, call him and do it, but I didn’t have anything to do with it.”

June had considered kindness, anger, and sympathy on her way to the back bedroom studio, in the end she chose none of them. “I’m 83 Jed, I don’t have it in me to circumnavigate it all over again. Do it or don’t do it, but leave me out of it.”

June, herself a now-famous sculptor, had fallen in love with the young artist instantly on that day in college, all those years ago. When she saw double a few minutes later, she did a double-take. Jed Kersey, and his identical twin Joel, were as identical in physical features as any twins she had ever seen.

Unlike other twins, their personalities were similar. Both were kind, loving, and compassionate people. Each was driven to pursue, what they believed was their calling. Joel was quieter and more laid back, but June loved her husband Jed’s chameleon-like curmudgeon facade.

It was his defense when he was unsure, insecure, or puzzled at how to approach a situation. This issue with the brother, whom he still adored, fit that description exactly. It’s why June knew, she had her work cut out for her when delivering the message.

Jed Kersey put down the brush, wiped the paint off his hands, and kissed his bride of almost sixty years. “I’m sorry honey, you’re right. I’m not even mad at him, it’s the situation that irks me. I’ll call Keynote tomorrow.”

“Jed, please don’t call him that. It may be his nickname, but you know Joel doesn’t really care for it. It’s like me calling you a tonal painter, it’s too pat a definition for your style. Neither one of you ever cared for labels. It runs in your family remember?”

Joel Kersey, or Keynote, sat in his office. He didn’t have to predict how it played out. This was chiefly because a similar version had gone down with his wife before he placed the call. He was thankful June took the call. She had always been more than just a spouse, but a guide to Jed’s career.

June was the reason his brother’s painting hung in palaces, both in the Middle East, and in Europe. Jed wasn’t a man to promote himself. June wasn’t that type either, but she had faith in Jed’s talent. So did Joel, it was why he felt that Jed just had to say yes to his request.

He loosened his tie and walked over to the window. He was admittedly tired, but the roses were blooming. It was a good day.

The next morning, his secretary took the call. “This is Jed Kersey returning my brother’s call. Is he available?” “One moment Mr. Kersey, the President has been expecting you.”

“Hello Jed, it’s good to hear your voice. Look, I could say a lot of things, but the truth is, this is awkward. Regardless though, a man gets to have a say in this, and I want you. Will you do this for me Jed?”

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. “You know what they’re going to say. People will mock it worse than Senator Picquyne’s woodcarvings. Why me Joel, and please don’t say it’s because you're my brother.”

“Can you come to Washington tomorrow? I’ll send a plane. We’ll talk more then, ok?”

Jed agreed and said goodbye. June packed his bag while he packed up his easel. This was going to be the weirdest trip of his life.

The man the Secret Service also called Keynote, President Joel Kersey, sat quietly by the fireplace that night. He had negotiated with world leaders, argued with Congress, sparred with reporters, but he dreaded the next day.

The First Lady walked up behind his chair. “So now it’s my turn. I just got off the phone with June. He got a little stirred up, but he wasn’t a match for her.”

The President laughed. “No, I doubt he was. I never was much of a sparring partner for you either. I was too busy staring at your beautiful eyes. Eyes I carefully avoided when you were angry, how can something be so beautiful yet intimidating at the same time? Your Sous Chef taught me not to look directly at you when you were angry.”

Before she was the First Lady, Martha Kersey was an award-winning chef. Today she owned four different restaurants across the country, one in New York, one in New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Austin. “I still say the pot slipped, I never meant for it to fall on his foot.”

This time Martha Kersey laughed. “I can tell you now, my trick was I always looked just beyond you. That way I saw where you were, but I didn’t focus on how handsome you are. That wasn’t easy, but it was the only way to win an argument. We haven’t had that many arguments.”

He reached out for her hand. “That’s because you were usually right, even when I wasn’t convinced of it. Like where this political thing led us to. Neither of us wanted it, but you believed I could help a few people. I guess I did too, or I wouldn’t have tried.”

“Martha, I guess my major issue is the same with Jed. I’m not used to him and I seeing anything differently either. We’ve always been in lock-step, just like you and I. If he says no, am I wrong for having asked him?”

How do you argue with yourself, which is what it felt like to him anytime he and his twin brother didn’t see eye to eye. The boys had not only been siblings. They had not only loved the other, the two actually liked each other.

From city council in Rappahannock, to Jed’s first major portrait commission, the two had supported each other always. More than that, Jed actually believed his brother was the man the country needed. Joel, himself an art lover, truly loved his brother’s talent.

Martha kissed her husband. “You know better. You’re not wrong, and for that matter, neither is he. You and Jed both know what the problem really, you’re family. It’s the elephant in the room.”

He stared at the fire again. “Family, it always comes back to it.” People would say what they had always said, it’s because they were family. Of course, before it was a problem that they were brothers, it had been their famous ancestor who caused strange looks.

This was the main reason Joel was thankful Great Grandmother gave birth to a girl. He didn’t think he could have gotten elected if his name was Joel Scott Key instead of Joel Frances Kersey.

Being two direct descendants of the man who wrote The Star Spangled Banner had its repercussions. What had been a novelty in elementary school, became a liability in Congress. While proud of the family hero, you had to be very careful not to react to those who accused you, of capitalizing on your famous heritage.

The President’s nickname, and Secret Service code name Keynote, brought equal parts laughter and anger. His career had ran the gambit. From Councilman, to the House, surprise elevation to Speaker Of The House, political defeat, a failed run at the Senate. Then Secretary Of Defense, a successful term in the Governor’s mansion, all led to the night he got the nickname.

That night never went far from the President’s mind. He was, at the same time, the most popular Governor in the nation, and the most disliked man in his own party. There was no mention of putting him on the ticket, but they had to do something with him at the convention.

It was decided by the nominee, they’d offer him the keynote speaker address, the one that nominated the candidate. Governor Kersey would have declined it, had it not been for a call from his brother. “Martha tells me you’re about to do something so incredibly stupid that I can’t believe it.”

“Please tell me my sister-in-law is wrong, that you’re not going to turn it down? Why would you alienate everyone four years away from a Presidential run? Man up and agree to smile and nominate him.”

Joel gripped his hair, a nervous trait he had, ever since he was a kid. “Jed, they don’t care about me. They want to parade me around, keep me in line, and cash in on our famous ancestor. How can I do that?”

Joel could hear the slices of Granny Smith apple being chomped while he was talking. Jed had snacked when he was nervous since he was a child. Thankfully he liked healthy food, so he was a trim 180, and not 400 pounds.

“Let me ask you three questions Joel. One, do you think this guy is better than the other guy? Second, are you proud of our famous ancestor? An three, if the answer to one and two is yes, then what does anything else matter? I’ll swallow the apples, you swallow your pride and get on stage.”

Joel laughed. “Sure you don’t want to give the speech for me? With the right suit, nobody will know the difference.”

Jed laughed back. “No, they’d tell, you talk better than I do. Plus they wouldn’t be able to explain how you suddenly got better looking. We may have the same face, but I wear it better.”

Joel gave the speech, and it was the hit of the convention. Everyone talked so much about the current Governor, and former Speaker of the House’s speech, nobody said much about the nominee. When his party’s candidate lost, the party came knocking. Now President Kersey was into his second term.

Oh, his political enemies had a heyday with his connection to Francis Scott Key. They claimed it was the only reason they could see for voting for him. His response, “I’m proud of my heritage. Yes he was my ancestor, and I’m not going to apologize for it, but he’s not running, I’ am. I’ve got things to talk about, apparently they don’t, or they would be talking about them, and not him.”

That resonated with the American people, who ushered him into office with a landslide victory. Four years of the unexpected followed, but the country stood with him a second time. Now the second term President had matters he was expected to attend too.

For now though, he sat by the fire and rested. It was a rare quiet night at Pennsylvania Avenue. He fell asleep in the chair, until Martha woke him to go to bed. The next day, he would meet his brother, and they would see what happened.

Hudson Baker, the President’s Chief of Staff escorted Jed Kersey into the Oval Office. It still unnerved him a little how much the two looked alike when they were in the same room. One was in a suit, fitting to meet the President, and a London Cap. The other was in his vest, with tie loosened, after a long meeting with Congress.

They made pleasantries until Hudson ushered the official photographer out. He held up a hand in defense. “I know Mr. President, but he begged for a photo of the two of you together. I wanted it before you two lit off the fireworks. Which one of you am I going to have to put bandages on after you get done?”

Jed looked at the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. “He’s the President, he may let you talk to him that way, but I won’t. Where I come from, I expect a little respect as a guest. Now, why don’t you catch up with that man with the camera and see if you can help him? We don’t need it.”

The President spoke after his brother. “Hud, you may want to come back in an hour. When we were in the navy, paint wasn’t the only time he had to wash his hands. It’s going to be fine.”

Hudson nodded, left, and told the President’s secretary to cancel his appointment with the Ambassador. He said a little loudly towards the door. “It’s going to be a long afternoon. Politicians and painters are high maintenance.”

The twins laughed as soon as it completely closed. “I only hit the people i was supposed to, and in a boxing ring. Why did you scare him?”

“You started it. I didn’t say you wiped blood off. You did work on engines, your hands stayed greasy. Besides Hudson is high strung, a little humility will help him.”

It was after they sat down that the two got serious, Jed started. “I never know whether to talk to you like my brother, or my President. Either way, I really appreciate the honor, as you know my career is important to me, painting a President is a crowning achievement.”

“I’d gladly paint your portrait, and have on different occasions. It’s the official part, people will say you asked me because we are family. Either that or because of the novelty.”

President Kersey got up from the resolute desk, and walked over to another painting. It was one of Francis Scott Key, looking at Old Glory. “Jed, why did you paint that?”

“I believe you told me it was because he was family. Because he was one of our heroes. You said it doesn’t matter that we’re related, or that people will say you were cashing in on Americana. You said, Americana exists because the feelings are real, regardless of what others say.”

Joel Kersey looked his brother in the eyes. “You told me that, the day I decided to run for President. You painted that painting, and brought it with you, to keep my pride from preventing me from working to make a difference to, hopefully a lot of people.”

“Yes, I want you to paint my Presidential Portrait because I believe you are that good. Yes, I want you to paint it because you’re my brother. As with every painting, I know you’ll do your best.”

“You’ll work harder on it than anyone else, because of all these things. People are going to talk, they never stop. Just like they accused me of using our ancestor to ‘unlock a door into politics’ I hated that comment, but it didn’t stop them from making it.”

“Don’t let them stop you from doing something that will go down in history. Generations of Americans followed their family to do their duty, in so many ways. I’m not just asking you as your brother or your President, I’m asking you as another American to do your duty?”

Jed Kersey had a gruff exterior, but was one of the finest men his brother knew. He didn’t make a wisecrack, or a joke about a nice speech. Instead, he quietly took out his sketchbook, and handed it to his brother.

“When I asked myself, could I do this, I decided there was only one pose for it. A great Presidential Portrait is not about politics, the painter, or even the man being painted. It’s about being an inspiration, it’s about honesty, and it’s about one more thing.”

“That one thing is this, it should stand apart in some way. President Washington’s portrait was unique, because it was Washington. The same with Lincoln. While Teddy Roosevelt was Roosevelt, the difference on his I believe, was Sargent. For Presidents Kennedy and Reagan, partially due to the background, they simply stood apart.”

“This painting can’t be about you or me. To inspire people, it has to stand out in some way. I think this is the way to do it.”

President Kersey looked at the sketch. The pose was not one he would have thought of, but he had to admit it stood out. Instantly he knew why, and he realized only his brother would have had the guts to paint it.

They tweaked the sketch a little, but only one painting was painted. Jed didn’t need more than one try. He painted it, in four days, from the heart.

No one would know about it publicly until a year after his second term was ending. When it was revealed, there were audible gasps in the room. The current President, the former Vice President, spoke first.

“When the President and Mr. Kersey showed me the preliminary sketch that day, I was against it. I couldn’t fathom that being the way we all remembered his Presidency. Then I realized, that was the day none of us would forget.”

“As you all know, during his first term, the President was greeting a delegation on the North Lawn. The press was there, and during his speech, he stopped for a minute, took a drink of water, and loosened his tie. He called his aide over to him, and used his arm to set down on the edge of the fountain.”

“The President said to the crowd, the following words. ‘I’m sending my aide to get the White House Doctor. I believe I’m having a light heart attack.’ “

“The President continued. ‘I’m telling you all for two reasons. For one, I can’t hide it. For another, the Presidency is bigger than the man who’s in office.’ “

“ ‘It’s about more than just power or tradition. It’s about a sacred trust, given by the founders, to those who follow after. I believe I’m going to be fine, but that doesn’t really change anything. Freedom is like this fountain. No matter what happens to me, it will continue to flow, if we maintain the course.’ “

“The President was right, on both counts. He completely recovered, but his illness served as a reminder to all. We are blessed with a beautiful legacy. One that, while it must be maintained, but which is bigger than all of us.”

It was with a standing ovation, the now-former President stepped to the podium. “Thank you all. I’ll admit to you, the day it depicts, didn’t seem like my finest hour, but I would venture my famous ancestor Francis Scott Key would have said the same.”

“I mention him, for one, because he is family. For another, he is an American hero, and lastly, he’s an inspiration to me. All of that is true of him, but it’s even more true of the man that painted my portrait.”

“My brother Jed Kersey is renowned the world over as an artist. He’s painted celebrities, royals, and statesmen, and he has painted them all with skill and grace. However, when he painted this portrait, he did something that I didn’t even ask him to do.”

“He captured in a moment, the legacy of the Presidency. The name and face will change, but what we follow after, what we hold dear, is timeless, and vital. This isn’t a portrait of me, but of the responsibility of every President, to continue the legacy of Freedom.”

Jed Kersey had asked not to speak, he didn’t know what to say. He had always preferred to allow his canvas to speak for him. What he hadn’t expected, was to be too emotional to speak.

He had tried to convince June to speak for him, but she refused. “They may understand you politely smiling, and nodding, but no one would get me speaking for you. You don’t have to give a speech, you’ve done your work, and he’s done his.”

“Let the painting speak for you both now. You’ve given your brother something he didn’t ask for, a capstone to his legacy. From now on, when people seek to define his place in history, they’ll point to his work yes, but the image will be yours. Sort of ironic for twins isn’t it?”

Some might argue it was more of a landscape than a portrait, but the President didn’t want the painting to be about him. Both he and his brother wanted to do something that they had always done. They wanted the story to not be about them, but those they served. Jed’s portraits were about the people, and so was Joel’s public service.

It was painted with a blue and slightly orange-hued sky. The White House, regal in the distance, was not overly detailed, except for the flag. It had actually taken the longest, Jed knew, it had to be right.

The fountain was surrounded by bright, primarily red flowers, and the gentle reflections what was transpiring around it mixing with the white and blue of the water. The President was not painted as either weak, or overly strong. He was painted as a man doing his job. Other than Martha, no one knew Joel’s face like his brother.

The smile on his face was real, not overly exaggerated, or under simplified. The face was handsome but weathered, one that had seen warfare. A smile strong enough to have led soldiers into battle, yet gentle enough to have comforted the families of those who gave all. It was a Presidential smile.

While others were fascinated by the man, or the transparency of the fountain, Jed found himself doing what Francis Scott Key had done all those years ago. He was staring at Old Glory, painted in the distance.

He thought to himself, ‘She’s still there. Things keep happening, faces change. Challenges are met and answered, because she continues to wave.’

Both men had done their duty, the President and the painter. Each determined to live up, not just to a famous ancestor, but to the American idea. Committed to the hope, that new generations will see, not a man or the brushstrokes, but what they saw, the promise of America.