Free Executive Actions by Gary Grossman Page B

Taylor was writing just for him. But the 20 th Century classical composers touched his soul. Copland. Gershwin. They captured the American spirit. The feeling haunted him and stirred his budding political consciousness. When he ran for Middle School President, he promised to advance the music program. And he won.
    Outside of school, he threw himself into Boy Scouts. He made it to Eagle, and would have stayed with it longer if he hadn’t been distracted. He discovered girls in the Ninth Grade. During this typically uncomfortable period he tried out “Ted” instead of Teddy. He hoped it might give him stature over the amazon women in his class. But it never really suited him well. His first girlfriend told him so.
    Debbie Strathmore, adored his wavy locks, his sense of humor, and his brilliance. Teddy loved her body and the pleasures it taught him.
    They were, by every definition of the words, “Going together” freshman year at Marblehead High. According to some friends, “Probably doing it” by the spring. Though no biographies really delved into his early sex life.
    Young Lodge inherited his grandfather’s strength of character and physical ability. Since he was a kid he was always outside, ruggedly athletic; an avid and able sailor. There was hardly a winter weekend that he wasn’t begging to go to the slopes or a summer’s day when he wasn’t out on a sloop.
    A few friends called him Bobby, Jr., in honor of his political idol Robert F. Kennedy. In many ways it was a natural association. He looked and somewhat sounded like a Kennedy. The way he rolled his “r’s.” The way he threw caution to the wind. The way he won school elections. Teddy Lodge had charisma, he cared about people, and he had a beautiful girl on his arm. His friends were right. He was Bobby, Jr. and he probably was “doing it” already.
    It was about that time that classmates actually envisioned Teddy in the White House. His school paper raised the possibility in an article about his bid for Freshman Class President. One teacher passed the article along to Bob Mehrman, an afternoon talk show host at a nearby radio station in Lynn. Mehrman was intrigued and booked Teddy on his call-in show the next day. This was his first interview, however he presented himself with poise, humor and dignity. It raised his visibility even more.
    A WBZ TV anchorman caught the radio show while driving to work and insisted that the news desk shoot a feature for the 6 P.M. broadcast. Within 24 hours, Teddy Wilson Lodge might as well be running for President of the United States. He had made great friends with the camera.
    His parents saw his potential, too. They decided that private school would give him the edge to get into Yale. And Yale could lead him into politics. So at age fifteen, Teddy applied to Harvard Essex not far from home in Amesbury. And that’s when his life began to change radically.
    His father died the summer before he left for school. It happened during a father-son baseball game at the Elks club; tragically when Oliver was pitching to Teddy.
    With two strikes on his son and Teddy determined to get a solid hit off his father, Oliver suddenly clutched his chest. He looked at Teddy through pain and tears, immediately knowing what was happening. Then he collapsed. Parademics tried to revive him but they couldn’t.
    Teddy didn’t do much for the rest of the summer. He occasionally talked to his girlfriend, but primarly stayed with his mother, who he’d soon be leaving. He told her he should finish up school at Marblehead and forget going away, but Katharine Lodge insisted that Teddy get on with his life. And so in September he left for boarding school.
    Teddy threw himself into his studies. He became “Mr. Lodge” to most of his teachers and vowed to live up to the Harvard Essex’s motto, “ Qui tacet consentit .” “He who is silent agrees.” Except during ski season.
    In January of his sophomore year, Teddy and seven friends borrowed a