Week one of Government Shutdown 2018 comes to an end, bringing to mind the plot of Patchworks.

So why not run a few excerpts from Chapter 12, in which DC’s ‘Fed Buffet’ closes its doors—and its payroll—on a mix of kindly public servants who only wanted to prevent the next great American tragedy.

Government intern Gabriel Dunne narrates a period of uncertainty for federal workers in Washington DC.

Assigned to the Bureau of Government Intelligence and Execution—BOGIE for short—Gabe helps investigate government inefficiency. The role provides a broad view of how the country is run, and a close-up of the people who run it.

From analyst Manny Teague who can’t stop talking about his kids to boss Ralph Dvorak who aims to shut Teague up; from young Chloe Gilchrist planning her wedding to the predatory Harcourt bracing for divorce; from Miles Miles who’s old and lonely, to the interns he mentors who believe in true love, Gabe’s co-workers are models of humanity amid bureaucratic dysfunction.

Already stressed over a looming government shutdown and threats to financial security, how will this frazzled group react when real tragedy strikes in the guise of yet another school shooting?

Read Excerpt 1.

Tomorrow, Excerpt 2. Will conclude on Sunday with Excerpt 3. Or I could just go about doing my chores…

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