"After the call connects, you need to sincerely thank Mr. Mayor for his kind offer, but use a very humble tone to politely decline the position of Deputy Director of the Community Relations Coordination Office."
"You will tell him that after careful consideration, you believe you are not good at, nor do you enjoy, doing that kind of complex coordination work within a government agency. You need to portray yourself as an unworldly idealist."
"Then, you're going to show your naivete," Roosevelt said, a hint of cunning in his voice.
"You're going to tell him your only interest is in doing something tangible for Pittsburgh's decaying communities. You don't care about the position or the salary."
"Next, you will pretend to casually mention that you've heard there's a place in the city government called the 'City Revitalization Committee,' even though it seems useless now and nobody wants to go there."
"But you, Leo Wallace, are willing to go there. You don't care about fame or fortune, you don't care about compensation. You'd even serve as a volunteer, providing your services for free, as long as you're given a chance to work for those forgotten communities."
Leo almost laughed out loud as he listened to Roosevelt's scheme.
"What will they think?" Leo asked.
Roosevelt smiled.
"They'll think you're just a fool, full of passion but completely clueless about how power works."
"They'll toss this troublesome threat—you—into what they see as a dumping ground, leaving you to wither on the vine with no hope of ever getting ahead."
"They will grant this foolish request of yours without a moment's hesitation."
"And we, amidst their laughter and ridicule, will have secured our first base of operations."
Leo picked up the phone and found Mark Jennings's number.
He took a deep breath and dialed.
The call connected quickly.
Mark Jennings's voice came through the receiver, tinged with anticipation.
"Mr. Wallace, what have you decided?"
Leo began his performance, following the script Roosevelt had designed.
"Mr. Jennings, I must thank Mr. Mayor again for his recognition and his kind offer." Leo's tone was extremely sincere. "It's a wonderful position, one that I'm sure anyone would be thrilled to have."
"But," he said, his tone shifting, "after careful consideration, I don't think I'm suited for such an important coordination role within a government agency. I'm just a student. I lack experience, and I'm not very good at handling complex interpersonal relationships."
Jennings was silent for a moment on the other end of the line.
"So, what you're saying is, you're refusing the Mayor's invitation?" There was surprise in Jennings's voice.
"Yes," said Leo. "But I hope you and Mr. Mayor don't misunderstand. I'm not refusing because I have any issue with the Pittsburgh City Government, but because I have a clear understanding of my own limitations."
"My only interest is in doing something tangible for Pittsburgh's decaying communities. I don't care how high the position is or how much the salary is. I just want to find a place where I can apply what I've studied and contribute to this city's revival."
He paused, then casually threw out his real target.
"I heard there's a department in the city government called the 'City Revitalization Committee.' I looked it up, and its scope of duties aligns perfectly with the community issues I care about. I know it's probably a place nobody wants to go to right now, and that it doesn't have much of a budget."
"But I was thinking, if it's possible, I'd be willing to work there. I'm not concerned with fame or compensation. I would even serve as a volunteer, offering my services for free. As long as I'm given the chance to work for those forgotten communities, I'll be completely satisfied."
After Leo finished speaking, a long silence fell on the other end of the line.
He could almost picture Jennings on the other side, his face turning red from holding back a laugh.
After a good while, Jennings spoke again.
His voice could no longer hide a condescending disdain and secret delight.
"Mr. Wallace, I must say, your spirit of selfless dedication is truly admirable," Jennings said. "You're a true idealist, a role model for the youth of this era."
"Rest assured, I will report your idea to Mr. Mayor immediately. I'm confident that Mr. Mayor will be eager to support an ambitious young man like you."
Things unfolded exactly as Roosevelt had predicted. Jennings readily agreed to Leo's request.
A week later, an inconspicuous notice of appointment was posted on the Pittsburgh City Government's official website.
Appointing community activist and history graduate student Leo Wallace as an executive member of the Pittsburgh City Revitalization Committee.
The appointment was effective immediately.
Leo's annual salary was, of course, no longer eighty thousand US Dollars, but it ended up being thirty-three thousand five hundred US Dollars.
The appointment failed to cause any ripples in Pittsburgh's political or media circles.
The *Pittsburgh Chronicle* even published a short commentary on its opinion page.
The article's author wrote in a tone dripping with sarcasm.
"The radical young man who once made such a splash at the hearing has finally chosen to bow to reality and accept the city government's offer to bring him into the fold. He has merely been exiled to a godforsaken corner. His political career is over before it has even truly begun."
Leo tossed the newspaper into the trash.
He put on his second-hand suit and, for the first time as a municipal employee, walked toward City Hall.
He followed the stairs down to the basement of City Hall.
The lighting here was dim, and the air was filled with the musty smell of old paper mixed with dust.
At the end of the hallway, a small brass plaque hung on a wooden door with peeling paint.
"City Revitalization Committee."
Leo pushed the door open and walked in.
The office was crammed with outdated file cabinets and stacks of reports tied up with string.
The only window was small and high, making it difficult for sunlight to get in.
The only other person in the entire office was a slightly heavyset Black female secretary with graying hair, wearing a blue dress. She was sitting at her desk, slowly painting her nails.
She heard the door open, looked up, and glanced lazily at Leo.
"You the new committee member?"
"Yes, I'm Leo Wallace."
The secretary nodded, took a key from a drawer, and tossed it onto the desk.
"I'm Gloria," she said. "Welcome to the Committee, kid."
"That desk in the corner is yours. The file cabinets are full of all the scrapped reports on urban revitalization we've written over the past ten years. You can use them as a pillow."
"The restroom is down the hall to the left. The coffee machine broke a month ago and no one's come to fix it, so don't expect any coffee here."
After saying her piece, she went back to concentrating on her bright red nail polish, not giving Leo another glance.
Leo picked up the key and walked over to the desk that was now his.
A thin layer of dust covered the desk.
Looking at this office, completely forgotten by the powers that be, he felt no disappointment or frustration. Instead, an unprecedented fire ignited in his eyes.
He knew that this dilapidated office was his New York State Assembly, his Navy Department, the starting point for his entire future career.
This was a blank canvas, discarded by everyone.
And his paintbrush was itching to begin.
Roosevelt's voice rang in his mind, filled with the heroic spirit of someone about to begin a new era.
"Good, kid. Our base of operations has been established."
"Now, let's make our first stroke."
"It's time to ask those bureaucrats in Washington for money, and then use the Federal Government's funds to undermine our dear Mayor."