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All the Queen's Horses and All the Queen's Men
Ratings:
238 pages3 hours
Summary
All the Queen’s Horses and All the Queen’s Men is the first book in a trilogy of political novels by Chase Baldewyn. Written before Trump’s campaign and election, the trilogy provides insight as to how and why Donald Trump would be elected. The trilogy is based on ethnographic research conducted over a decade on billionaire plutocratic families in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The novel reveals how and why plutocrat billionaires deceive the public and value loyalty over competence as Donald Trump seemingly does, and how plutocrats have worked to eliminate the middle class through deceptive egalitarianism and philanthropy while concurrently disparaging the need for excellence outside of their small peer group of billionaire businessmen. The novel’s protagonist is a plutocrat billionaire, Rolf Lambert, whose deceptive populism is revealed as actual elitism when advising his granddaughter, Berkeley, to model herself after British royalty for which Berkeley pays a heavy price at story’s end.
Publisher: Lulu.comReleased: Feb 4, 2017ISBN: 9781329141681Format: book
Book Preview
All the Queen's Horses and All the Queen's Men - Chase Baldewyn
All the Queen’s Horses and All the Queen’s Men
by
Chase Baldewyn
Copyrighted © 2015
ISBN # 978-1-329-14168-1
Cover Photo Credits:
© Ateliersommerland l Dreamstime.com –
Lady Of The Castle Photo
This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, animals, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual animals, living or dead, or to actual events or to actual locales, is entirely coincidental.
Preface
Americans gained freedom with a newly created democracy in 1776 and eliminated the oppression of British royalty by fighting and winning the American Revolution. So how did we, the American people, miss the rise of a new kind of royalty right before our eyes—an American Royalty—the plutocrats at the top of the 1% who have gained power through personal wealth accumulation that threatens our democracy by creating an income inequality that is destroying egalitarianism, and the American Dream for the other 99%?
The American Revolution launched an exceptional form of governance and an economy based on liberty, egalitarianism, individualism, and democracy. But that governance and economy which has been proudly characterized as American Exceptionalism has been gradually destroyed since 1970 by the emergence of a plutocratic royalty that is transforming liberty and egalitarianism into servitude of the 99% for the 1%.
The plutocrats have rejected Lincoln’s egalitarian vision of government of the people, by the people, for the people. The Republican Party plutocrats have striven to convince the people of America that government is the problem; in other words, democracy is the problem. However, democracy is not the problem, but rather, the solution with which our Forefathers empowered we the people.
The real problems are the plutocratic interpretation of laws and the Constitution by courts that are weakening the power of our democracy and the rights of the 99%, and the off shoring of middle class jobs crippling the ability of our middle class to achieve the American Dream.
~ ~ ~
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter One: Grand Opening, Lambert Megastore Shoe Repair
Chapter Two: Two and a Half Years Earlier; Trying Jager
Chapter Three: National Junior Equitation Finals
Chapter Four: Frontier Club Shower
Chapter Five: Awards Banquet
Chapter Six: Immortalizing the Lambert Family Farm
Chapter Seven: Undelivered Services--The Setup
Chapter Eight: Hidden Acres, Hidden Truth
Chapter Nine: New Employee at Lambert Corporate
Chapter Ten: Horse Show Meeting
Chapter Eleven: Million Dollar Packers
Introduction
Follow Summer Lambert as family megastore money paves the way to the top of the equestrian sport of competition show riding for her, and her wealthy daughter, Berkeley. With her plutocrat father-in-law, Rolf Lambert, as her money and power coach, and the self-serving double agent Denise as her trainer, Summer clears the path to the top of riding for herself and her daughter by surreptitiously eliminating any competition from the middle class riders.
But without recognizing the essential worth of excellence, the vital strengthening effect of competition, and the fundamental interdependence of all classes in our society, has Summer really won?
Or has Summer in her personal quest simply revealed the epidemic of lies and spin in our society, driven by the covert actions of the plutocrats in their myopic greed? Has she simply exposed the existence of a new form of royal oppression in America; an ideology that is eliminating the American Dream and turning America into a two-tiered society of an upper royal class and a lower service class, rather than one that includes a strong, producer middle class?
Chapter One: Grand Opening, Lambert Megastore Shoe Repair
This will be fun for you tonight!
Summer cheerily stated as she rolled her only child, Berkeley, toward the entrance into the family megastore.
Fun?
Yes, your Grandfather has arranged it so that you’ll be the one who gets to cut the ribbon for our new shoe repair center!
Okay, Mother, so let’s see you keep on your ‘happy face’ and try to explain to me exactly how that’s going to be any fun for me!
Summer didn’t take the time to answer her daughter Berkeley’s challenge. There were too many local paparazzi
reporters and TV people outside the entrance to the megastore waiting to cover the opening of the shoe repair center. Summer wasn’t about to get into a philosophical argument at the moment with her daughter.
The automatic glass sliding doors sprung open as Berkeley’s wheelchair tripped the sensor, and her mother pushed her from the cold, snow covered sidewalk into the warmth of the megastore lobby.
The one-armed greeter smiled wide as he stepped forward after tripping the sensor on the store entrance glass sliders on the other side of the lobby.
Welcome Miss Summer and Miss Berkeley to yet another big night for the Lambert family!
he greeted with all the magnanimity he could muster as his arthritic body attempted to bend forward with a little bow of respect. Congratulations on getting yet another specialty corralled under the Lambert megastore umbrella!
he grinned at them exposing his yellowed, crooked teeth.
Why thank you, Bobby,
Summer graciously accepted the man’s greeting with her beautiful bleached white teeth smiling back strongly into his face as if there wasn’t one unusual thing about him.
Berkeley burst out into tears.
Berkeley!
Summer snapped at her, instinctively worried that Berkeley’s sudden outburst might be heading down an embarrassing path. Why are you crying?
came her curt and censure loaded demand for explanation.
This time Berkeley refused to concede to the implied discipline of her mother’s harsh tone that she might have considered conceding to in the past.
Because now I’m one of them!
Berkeley snapped back at her mother through her gripping sobs; her arm lifting up and pointing straight and hard at Bobby. "I’m no longer just pretending to be one of them like you are! Now I am one of them! she sobbed.
I’m even less than one of them!"
Stop it, Berkeley!
Summer corrected in a forceful, threatening whisper having bent down to face level of her wheelchair-bound daughter. That’s rude! And you know this isn’t the time or the place for this kind of outburst!
she warned.
Really, Mother? Well, I happen to think this is exactly the time and the place!
Berkeley defiantly objected. Look at them!
she demanded pointing out now beyond Bobby to the other physically and mentally challenged Lambert employees who had been gathered for the shoe repair center opening, then look at me! Now ask yourself why you put me here!
she snarled back at her mother as tears streamed down her face. I know you saw it just like the Parkers saw it! You just won’t admit it! They knew Denise was a sham and so did you! You knew full well you were putting me at risk! You should have bought me a good trainer like the Parkers got for their daughters! Why didn’t you, Mother? Why? You try and explain that to me!
Quiet! We’ll talk about this later!
No, Mother, we won’t! We’ll talk about it right now because you never want to talk about it! It’s never appropriate or convenient for you to talk about it!
Berkeley accused. You just don’t want to admit that you knew it was a dangerous sport, but you chose to let the family’s self-serving rules and illusions paralyze me!
she sobbed. All I wanted to do was ride and be safe, but you took it all away from me because you were more interested in protecting your pocketbook than you were in protecting me!
"That’s not true, Berkeley! And you will ride again!"
Ride again? Are you kidding? Certainly not the way I was riding! How can you stand there, Mother, and pretend such a thing is going to happen like everything’s going to be butterflies and roses? You’re ridiculous!
What’s going on over here?
Rolf Lambert asked after having walked briskly over to greet his daughter-in-law and granddaughter to put a stop to the disruptive behavior of which everyone had now become aware. Why are you crying Berkeley?
he asked with urgency in his voice meant to put an immediate end to the noted squabbling.
Because look at them and then look at me! See any similarities Grandfather? Or do I have to point it out to you that now I’m just like all these vulnerable disabled people you always exploit by including them in every Lambert affair?
Why, Berkeley, that’s not true! You’re not like them at all!
Rolf firmly countered from his fully upright, powerful stance in front of his granddaughter’s wheelchair. You’ll never have to work a day in your life!
Oh, I see, Grandfather, so now we’re back to the rich thing again, aren’t we?
she challenged his unspoken message. "Well look where your stupid egalitarianism got me, Grandfather—it got me nowhere but in this wheelchair! It didn’t do anything for me! It just took everything away from me!" she yelled.
Rolf stiffened at the public attack by his granddaughter. He was not happy about it.
You think you’re so damned smart and clever Grandfather. But I’ve got news for you. I’m here to tell you now that those choices you put in front of me that one day were false choices, and you should have known that! It wasn’t about choosing between winning ribbons or keeping our money! The real choice to be made that day was between my having an incompetent trainer you bought for me or a competent trainer you didn’t own! And rest assured that if I could have that choice today with what I know now that I’d choose every time for excellence, and the competent, independent trainer even if it went against everything you’ve ever done or said to me!
Berkeley belted out.
Rolf didn’t bother to engage in any level of further discourse with his granddaughter. He just turned away from her to locate the store greeter selected for this evening’s celebration.
Hey, Bobby,
Rolf called to the greeter through a tense smile he forced across his face.
Yes, sir!
Bobby snappily answered as he scurried over to Rolf’s side from the distanced space he had respectfully put between himself and the Lambert family to await the patriarch’s direction. What can I do for you sir?
How about if you wheel Berkeley over to the store offices for a little while, Bobby, until she can get herself under control before the ribbon cutting ceremony?
Will do sir!
Bobby obediently responded as he snapped himself right into alignment behind Berkeley’s wheelchair.
Here we go Miss Berkeley,
Bobby said as politely as if not a single negative word had been spoken by anyone anywhere. You’re in good hands with me!
he told the boss’ granddaughter as the irony of him only having one hand with which to push her wheelchair was not lost on Berkeley and set her to crying even harder.
How’s it going with the riding center thing?
Rolf quietly asked Summer as they stood for a moment and watched Bobby push Berkeley off toward the store offices.
Well, it’s going slow, Rolf,
Summer sighed. I’m still working with our attorneys on trying to figure out how to make it a non-profit, but keep it private at the same time.
Good girl,
Rolf quickly supported her effort. You keep working on it full time because we’ve got to get Berkeley under control. We’ve clearly got to get her back involved with riding in some capacity as soon as possible!
You don’t have to tell me that twice, Rolf. I’m fully aware of that,
Summer tersely answered as her eyes continued to follow her daughter’s progress toward the store offices.
And what about the lawsuit with Denise?
Rolf asked.
She’s hiding behind the state’s equine liability law at the moment.
Ha!
Rolf laughed. So then, no problem there!
Rolf stated with confidence. We’ll just have our attorneys make a significant donation to one of the judge’s charities when the timing is appropriate and that will inspire the judge to change his interpretation of that law and rule in our favor. Don’t worry a second about that one, Summer. Denise might think she can hide behind the law, but we’ll make sure our interpretation of the law wins and destroys her in the end,
he winked.
Thanks, Rolf,
Summer said as she turned to look hard into Rolf’s face with a knowing and grateful smile.
Okay, then, let’s put on our ‘happy faces,’ you flash your million dollar smile, we’ll announce the gift of a dollar toward charity for every shoe that gets soled in our new shoe repair center, and then later we’ll privately celebrate putting an end to yet another annoying little entrepreneur—all the while of course getting some free press congratulating us on the rightness of it all!
he laughed.
You mean a dollar to save a soul for every new sole?
Ha! Exactly! I like it! I’ll use it!
Rolf laughed.
There’s no denying the ‘magical’ power of the Lambert philanthropy!
Summer smiled her million dollar smile.
Chapter Two: Two and a Half Years Earlier, Trying Jager
Erin, I need to talk to you right away!
Denise quietly insisted with barely controlled excitement as she came up between Erin and her daughter, Caitlin, in the barn aisle at the horse show where fifty temporary stalls had been erected for the show horses.
Erin picked right up on Denise’s uncharacteristic display of emotion, and was affronted by the pretense of seeming warmth in her suspiciously uncharacteristic smile.
Okay,
Erin complied as she reluctantly moved away from the conversation she had been having with her daughter.
Erin followed Denise’s lead over to a quiet corner in the barn at the end of the aisle, all the while making a point of being careful not to display any body language that might convey her true feelings toward the trainer. Erin wondered why she had been singled out for a private discussion after having been basically ignored for the last several months over the tension between them from Denise having singlehandedly ensured that Erin’s show horse, Ben, was completely lamed.
What’s up?
Erin asked with a deadpan face.
I’ve got some really good news for you.
Erin said nothing. She just let Denise’s words slam into the stilled air surrounding them and drop down to the dirt of the barn floor. She just stood and listened while taking in all Denise’s body language to analyze the message it was sending to her in contrast to the words that Denise was actually speaking to her.
I’ve found a horse for you!
Found a horse for me?
Erin thought to herself. Why? I wasn’t looking for a horse.
Erin just widened her eyes in wordless response and looked intently at Denise.
He’s a wonderful horse! He’s a winner! You may have noticed him. He’s ridden by a junior rider who competes against Caitlin in the junior equitation classes. He’s one of the Canterbury Hills horses. It’s the first time they’ve ever let anyone on the circuit even consider buying one of their horses!
she breathlessly shared.
So to whose advantage is this?
Erin instantly considered to herself based on past experience. Sounds to me like it’s more to Denise’s advantage to get in with Canterbury Hills than it is for me to buy the horse.
Oh, really,
is all Erin said with a tone of intentional lackluster support of Denise’s enthusiasm.
Yes, he’s a nice, big Dutch warmblood. I know you’ll like him. He rides a lot like Ben, but he’s an even better mover than Ben so you can finally get those elusive flat class points on him,
she kept right on pushing as she purposely ignored Erin’s lack of enthusiasm.
What color is he?
He’s chestnut.
You know I hate chestnuts,
Erin offered as an attempt to stop the pressure packed conversation from continuing.
Well, this is different. He’s nothing like Dakota was. This horse is just perfect for you. This is the kind of horse that rarely comes along and when I heard he was available I said to myself how perfect he was for you to get you back into riding. And I know I don’t have to tell you how hard it is to find the right horse for a rider.
Well, there it was! One of the classic implied threats of trainers coming at me once again! It’s the good old innuendo that ‘if you don’t buy this horse, then I’m never going to look for another horse for you again.’
Erin just stared at her. She had heard the threat loud and clear and Denise knew it. They also both knew that until suddenly now, Denise hadn’t shown any indication of even wanting Erin to get back into riding.
Denise also knew full well that Erin was more than likely planning to take over her daughter Caitlin’s horse, Liam, this fall after Caitlin rode and showed Liam for the last time at Harrisburg national finals as a junior equitation rider, if Erin planned to get back into riding at all. And Erin knew full well that was just another big reason why Denise didn’t want to touch the subject of Erin showing again because the unspoken message between them was that Denise was not about to let Erin have her daughter’s trained up junior equitation horse. Business woman that she was, Denise was not going to let Erin have Liam and show him in the low visibility adult division classes where Denise wouldn’t gain any enhancement to her reputation on the circuit no matter how many ribbons Erin won on him. Denise was going to make sure she got Liam away from Erin one way or another and put another junior equitation rider on him to win in the high visibility junior equitation medal classes so she could take her reputation as a trainer to new heights.
Look, I don’t want to pressure you,
Denise pushed on, but there are a lot of people who want this horse, so we have to act quickly on it if you’re interested.
Well, that’s just it, isn’t it?
Erin said to herself. "You are pressuring me, and so why are you pressuring me? Plus there’s no way I want to buy another horse. I already have three."
But Erin knew that the bigger issue at the moment for her was how she was going to sidestep Denise’s pressure to buy this horse and still maintain a trainer/rider relationship with this woman if Erin should decide she wanted to get back into showing.
"So, Canterbury Hills you say. They don’t sell anything for less than a hundred thousand dollars and so that means the horse is way out of my budget," Erin offered as another attempt at stopping any further discussion.
No, no, that’s the thing about this horse,
Denise excitedly whispered to Erin as if it was essential that no one overheard them and let the cat out of the bag about this wonderful, sudden opportunity.
What does that mean?
He’s cheap.
How much?
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