Goodblood reached out to take the document. ‘Hell, yeah, our old thorn-in the-foot annexation to the SaigonTreaty that makes the damn Treaty’s stipulation stretch like elastic. Yeah, Frank, I agree the possible ceding of the small border territory would appear to be a knife-edge balance, on the wrong side of which President Johnson would not be too anxious to topple. With the miracles of landslide by-elections and our establishing protectorates over South Vietnam fresh in our wake, I don’t somehow see Johnson doing handstands and somersaults and bringing out the bubbly champers to celebrate. Not just yet, anyway. Especially with those Ho Chi Minh supporters in our f*****g own back yard states doing their best to stir up trouble.’ Marley sat back in his chair to rub his face with both hands
