The sparkling Christmas decorations that adorned the thick columns of the White House's employee entrance sent tingles down the spine of Syria Ngabo as she nervously made her way into the most recognizable residence in the world.
"You've come a long way... Damn," the 23 year old fitness trainer gasped to herself as she tapped her fingers against the plastic guest pass that was pinned to the outside of her red, white and blue jacket.
"Thought the colors would be a nice touch," Syria said to herself, knowing in these times of heightened Patriotism, wearing red, white and blue on her first trip to the White House would be appreciated.
Syria could see in everyone's faces, as she passed, that they were slightly taken aback by her appearance. She had thankfully become rather use to that reaction however. Even though her mocha brown features and thick African accent set her apart from the majority of people she came into contact with, the youngest Daughter of a Lebanese Mother and a Kenyan Father, Syria was in many ways a shining example of what was good about America.
Slipping her five foot 10 inch 120 pound frame past several security checks to meet Laura Bush's personal assistant, Syria could literally feel the famished stares of the men that worked the checkpoints. Looking around at the white bread surroundings that the Bush's' had created inside tier home, Syria immediately knew the people working there weren't quite use to seeing someone as exotic as her. The fact that she was a Muslim in the post September 11th climate also made it feel a bit more awkward as she slowly worked her way through the seemingly endless maze of security checks.
When the White House had inquired into finding a personal trainer for the First Lady at the upscale gym where Syria worked, the last person the gym's manager thought of suggesting was the 23 year old Kenyan and Lebanese grad student.
With an early winter flu bug tearing through the nation's capital along with many of his female instructors returning home for the holidays however, Syria Ngabo suddenly became the most qualified and available option.
After numerous background checks because of Syria's religious beliefs, the spinmasters at the White House finally decided that it would be a quaint idea, for publicity purposes, to have a person of the Muslim faith be actively involved in something as important as being the First Lady's exercise guru.
* * * * *
For the wife of the most powerful man in the world, the stress that followed in the weeks and months after the attacks of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon proved to be a difficult burden to bare. On every level of her human comprehension: Wife, Mother, Christian and American, Laura Bush faced a deluge of angst and uncertainty that nearly drove her to the edge on a daily basis.
Adhering to the image she had created for herself, of a strong and stable rock for her Husband, was all Laura could do to meet the constant pressure and uneasiness she felt gnawing at her at each and every turn.
One of the few successful outlets George W. had found to diminish the frustration that welled inside his body and soul was the regimented exercise program his doctor had put him on in the weeks following the attacks.
After seeing the cathartic effects the exercise program had on her Husband for the hour or so everyday when he retreated to the privacy of the White House's gym and the way he was able to leave the world's problems for that little while, Laura Bush decided to do the same. After getting her staff to contact the same health club that supplied her Husband with a series of trainers, Laura was finally set up with one of her own.
* * * * *
Being led through the maze of White House corridors, Syria felt a dizzying sense of nervousness swirl through her lean and trim frame as she approached the sprawling and state of the art basement gymnasium, still numb from the realization that she was standing inside the world's power center, getting ready to help the Wife of the President of the United States with her setups and stomach crunches.
Syria couldn't help but think of her parents and her modest upbringing as her tennis shoes silently echoed down those marbled hallways. The Daughter of a Kenyan businessman and Lebanese accountant, Syria by no means grew up poor, but in a country where wealth is defined as having more than one square meal a day, coming to America and seeing the vastness of luxury in comparison, made the 23 year old girl's heart skip a beat.
By the time the First Lady's handlers had guided Syria downstairs to the basement workout area, the young girl had to wipe her hands off on her shorts several times, not wanting Laura Bush to feel just how nervous she was when they were introduced.
With the Secret Service guards posted to each side of the entrance, Syria cast each a tedious smile as large doors swung open. As soon as Syria gazed forward, she instantly saw the First Lady standing no more than 10 feet in front of her.
"Good.... Good... Good Morning.. Mrs. President... Mrs. Bush... I mean... ," Syria clumsily stammered.
"Just call me Laura.... I'm pleased to meet you," the perky and polite older woman offered.
After exchanging a cautious and restrained handshake, Laura and Syria filtered away from the Secret Service agents and assorted hangers on, making their way casually over to the far corner of the exercise room.
Feeling vaguely out of place from the moment she stepped foot on White House property, Syria correctly sensed the older woman's awkwardness bubbling just underneath her outwardly polite and friendly exterior as they made small talk.
"The security is a real hassle.. isn't it?" Laura smiled.
"Yes.. yes it is," Syria replied. "But considering the state of affairs in the country right now.. its certainly understandable. "
The two continued to make general conversation as Syria led the First Lady through a series of basic stretching exercises to warm up the older woman's tight muscles.
"So... Mrs. Bu... Laura... do you have any goals with this... pounds lost.... toning parts of the your body?" Syria clinically asked.
"Ah.. well.. any weight loss would be great.. but actually.. the main reason I'm trying this is just to help relieve some stress... my Husband keeps bugging me to join him but I really think I need to do this at my own pace," Laura sighed back.
30 minutes into the workout, a strange a calming sense of normalcy seeped into Syria's psyche as she led Laura Bush through a series of stretches designed to ease the tension in the woman's 55 year old muscles.
"Just like any other job," Syria told herself as she dutifully marched one of the most powerful women in the world through her warm up routines. "Just like any other job. "
* * * * *
