Gretchen and her family are sitting in their living room watching TV.
Lucinda: Gretchen, turn it up, I can’t hear it!
Gretchen: It’s at 70!
Lucinda: Yeah, I’m old! Turn it up!
Christina: You’re old, but since when are you deaf?
Lucinda: Did you never learn to respect your elders?
Christina: I lived with you, you were always bullying my elders.
Lucinda: They aren’t my elders!
Gretchen: Oh, look, Jeanne! I’m sure she’s going to say something to annoy me, may I mute it for the moment?
Lucinda: No, I want to hear it! That lady makes me laugh!
Anthony: Her emotionally torturing your daughter makes you laugh?
Lucinda: Absolutely!
Gretchen: You know what? Enjoy!
Marcy Hannafort (Providence Action News anchor): Leader Rivero, it’s always an honor to speak with you
Jeanne: The honor is all mine!
Marcy: The governor has proposed a budget increase this year, with a hike in funding for infrastructure and social programs. Polling shows the public supports her plan, as she enjoys a rally in her approval rating.
Anthony: This isn’t the result you were expecting, is it?
Lucinda: Just watch, she’s about to crush her dreams!
Gretchen: We’ll see!
Jeanne: Well, I’d be part of that, to be honest. I’m very impressed by her job performance the last few months. She’s navigated us through several situations that could’ve been crises without a steady hand at the helm.
Marcy: This is quite the turnaround, it’s no secret that you two have had a contentious relationship.
Jeanne: I think people see it that way, but it’s not really the reality. I don’t know, we’ve clashed, but we both want the same thing, and that’s the best for Rhode Island.
Gretchen: Jeanne, even you don’t believe that.
Lucinda: I don’t believe what I’m hearing. She’s… gassing you up?
Christina: Do you have dirt on her or something?
Gretchen: No, that was on Hank. Lotta good that did, affair rumors don’t have the same impact they once did!
Jeanne: I didn’t always approve of the methods, but I always approved of the end goal. And I have to admit, thick-headed as I am guilty of being, she’s won me over on her policy goals.
Marcy: This is a pretty abrupt about-face, no?
Jeanne: The important thing about being a public servant is to admit when you’re wrong, and adapt. I was wrong about the governor, and I am adapting. I so look forward to working with her on a budget.
Lucinda: That was not the comic laugh riot that I was expecting. I am disappointed.
Gretchen: I’m confused. I’m not falling for it. I think she’s trying to lull me into a false sense of security.
Anthony: How does that benefit her? It’s not like she can even do that much to push back on you, anyway. She knows if she gives you too hard of a time, you can end her time as floor leader. She’s just doing what she needs to keep her job, that’s what she cares about.
Gretchen: I suppose, but it is possible she’s been putting in time to win people back to her side. I mean, it took them how long to consider rebellion against her, and now we’ve given them time to reconsider doing it. The moment may have passed.
Christina: I think she just wants to be governor and is sucking up to someone popular with voters. You have like a 90% approval rating among Rhode Island Democrats, cozying up to you is her best strategy.
Gretchen: Apologies to her, but Pratt’s gotten a jump on that. She’s done such a good job of it that I’ve nearly grown to actually like her! Don’t tell her that.
Lucinda: On an unrelated note, do you have her number by any chance?
Christina: Grandma, you are such a troll!
Lucinda: I take pride in it.
The next day, in Gretchen’s office…
Carol: Did you see the news last night?
Gretchen: I sure did! How weird that that?
Sarita: I’m not elderly, so I’m gonna need to be cued in here. What bombshell was on the news last night?
Esther: You know, young lady, I could do without the sarcasm. Just because we’re all older does not mean -
Carol: Oh, don’t group us in with you. Nuh-uh. We are mature. You are a senior citizen. Those are different age brackets.
Sarita: You’re all old to me!
Carol: Well, isn’t that dandy?
Sarita: So what was on the news?
Gretchen: Jeanne Rivero is suddenly quite the fan of mine. She says she looks forward to working with me on the budget, and admitted she judged me incorrectly.
Sarita: Is… is she well?
Gretchen: She’s never been well, has she?
Sarita: I know you put the fear of God into her by threatening to help Carrie Lione overthrow her, but that sounds excessive.
Carol: It was totally excessive, it’s like if one of the hosts of The View suddenly became a Republican overnight. Just not believable! She’s acting, badly.
Gretchen: Aren’t two of them already Republicans?
Carol: So they claim! I call baloney!
Gretchen: Anyway, how are we supposed to deal with this situation? I don’t want to not trust her and then alienate an ally, but I also don’t want to trust her and then get burned.
Carol: As of now, don’t take her for her word, but also try to work with her. She can prove herself valuable, we have a budget to pass! Let’s see if she lives up to what she’s saying in public.
There’s a knock at the door.
Jeanne: Governor! I have to speak with you!
Gretchen: Ah, Jeanne! Here to unleash your flying monkeys on us?
Jeanne: Very funny! No, I want to work with you. We made a deal, you said you wouldn’t help push me out as senate leader if I offered to work with you and not against you. So here I am! Budget time!
Gretchen: Carol, do we have anything on the books for today?
Carol: To my knowledge? No.
Gretchen: I suppose that means we can deliberate the budget!
Jeanne: Wonderful!
Gretchen: Jeanne, be straight with me, are you scheming here? You seem more relaxed, more pleasant, I don’t see that demonic look in your eyes that’s often there.
Jeanne: Thank you?
Gretchen: No, I just… I saw your interview last night. This is a very sudden about-face. You’ve made my life a living hell for, what, six years? Now you want to be my friend and ally? It’s rare too see someone genuinely change their mind so suddenly.
Jeanne: I meant every word I said. The people of this state changed their mind on you, you went from one of the most unpopular governors in America to one of the most popular! Why
can’t I change my mind?
Gretchen: You personally know me, you work with me. Most of the people responding to those polls, they just hear about me in the news from time to time, that probably don’t think about me much. We see one another every day. The shift is much more sudden.
Jeanne: It’s real, though.
Gretchen: You have a chance to prove it today! I don’t expect you to just go with everything I say, but if you work together with me - unlike before - then I’ll trust that change of heart. I supposed we should involve Mary, too. She is sort of the speaker of the house.
Carol: Am I going to be involved?
Gretchen: Do you want to be?
Carol: I could use time off. You guys go have your fun! Don’t make too much of a mess, I don’t want to have to clean up the bill too much.
Gretchen: Got it!
Later that day…
Samantha: Where’s Gretchen?
Carol: In some meeting?
Samantha: Without the two of you?
Carol: It’s a meeting on the budget. I don’t really care to spend my afternoon with Jeanne, the woman’s a snake.
Samantha: She’s meeting with Jeanne without me?
Sarita: Madam Lieutenant Governor, I say this with the utmost respect: your position is not one that typically gets a say in the preparation of the budget.
Samantha: I’m always involved.
Carol: I think you’re usually there to provide support, you have a way of charming Jeanne, more than Gretchen does. Now, though, Jeanne seems to like Gretchen. I don’t get it either, I don’t trust it. It goes against everything we know about her.
Samantha: So they’re friends now?
Carol: I don’t know if that’s the proper word.
Sarita: They’re friendly, so it seems.
Carol: That’s the best way to describe it.
Samantha: This is about thew 2026 race. Jeanne still wants to be governor.
Carol: We don’t know that, I think she’s just scared of Carrie Lione.
Samantha: Ah, I forgot about that. So two reasons for her to suck up to Gretchen. Well, newsflash, that’s MY job. I will be the next governor, not her.
Carol: We’ve heard that before!
Samantha: I mean it this time!
Carol: Don’t worry about this, Pratt. You and Gretchen have a… special relationship. Jeanne can’t replace you!
Sarita: You are truly irreplaceable.
Samantha: You mean it?
Sarita: Absolutely!
Samantha: Well, I guess the eases me a bit. I’m gonna go back to my office and get some work done.
Carol: You have work?
Samantha: Of course I do!
Samantha departs.
Esther: Boy, that lady sure is annoying.
Carol: For once, I agree with Esther.
One week later…
Samantha: Ladies! I see you’ve become fast friends!
Gretchen: I know we haven’t been hanging out much, and I see the disappointment in your face, I’ve been spending more time with Jeanne, but don’t take it personal. There’s just a lot to hammer out for the annual budget, and we’ve been spending all our time talking about it.
Mary: Yeah, it’s not like we’ve been having fun. Preparing a budget is a major task.
Jeanne: Thank god Gretchen has an economics degree, Mary and I have been following her lead for the most part.
Samantha: I mean, you could just bring in some of your economic advisors. We do pay them for a reason.
Jeanne: No, this is the governor’s budget, she knows best.
Samantha: Who are you, and what have you done with Jeanne?
Jeanne: I’ve just come to realize that the governor brings valuable insight.
Samantha: No, seriously, Jeanne, are you in there? This isn’t you!
Jeanne: Very funny.
Gretchen: Anyhow, we’ve got to put the finishing touches on this, because I think were just about done.
Samantha: I’m willing to help if y-
Mary: I think we’re good here.
Samantha: Fine, be that way!
Later that day, Samantha goes to visit senator Carrie Lione.
Carrie: Wow, a visit from the lieutenant governor! To what do I owe the pleasure?
Samantha: We have a problem, Carrie.
Carrie: Oh! What is it? Has something happened to the governor?
Samantha: Yes!
Carrie: Oh my god, how can I help? Is she injured and needs a ride to the hospital, or -
Samantha: No, nothing like that. She’s just, you know, she’s cozying up to Jeanne. They’ve become fast friends. All those years she’s been in office, I terrorized her for most of them, but I came around on her way before Jeanne, and this is how I get repaid!
Carrie: I’m just confused on how I can help.
Samantha: Carrie, your chances of ousting Jeanne are slipping through your fingers, and you don’t even know it.
Carrie: All because the governor is getting friendly with her? That feels like an overreaction.
Samantha: Your best chance at getting rid of Jeanne was to get an endorsement from Gretchen. Now, that chance seems gone. They’re working together, they’re friends. Jeanne’s never leaving!
Carrie: I think this is an overreaction. From what I gather, they’re just preparing the budget. That’s normal.
Samantha: Think, Carrie! Gretchen already delayed endorsing you to give Jeanne a chance to work better with her, to avoid a public mess. Well, that’s happening. They’re working together! Your chance is slipping by you!
Carrie: I’m not sure what you expect me to do here, though. There’s no way I can stop that.
Samantha: I will endorse you! You gather the troops and I will publicly support it. It’ll get Jeanne out of your way, and out of mine!
Carrie: What do you actually gain from it? Are you just… jealous?
Samantha: A bit! She’s my friend, not Jeanne’s! But I also want to be governor! Jeanne does, too, and now she might get Gretchen’s endorsement. But not if Jeanne’s ousted! No way Gretchen would endorse someone that got publicly humiliated like that.
Carrie: This is a lot to take in.
Samantha: Think it over, but this is your last chance to get your dream job, and it could be my last chance to get mine. We can run this state, Carrie!
Carrie: That would be… interesting.
Samantha: Just give it real consideration, okay?
Carrie: Okay, and you have a nice day. And try not to drive yourself too crazy over all this, no one eve really stays friends with Jeanne for very long, she’s a monster.
The next day…
Samantha: Gretchen, you called me in?
Gretchen: Yup, take a seat.
Samantha: So you finally remembered I exist! How’d you manage to escape Jeanne?
Gretchen: Pratt, you need to calm down. Are you jealous of Jeanne Rivero?
Samantha: I’m not not jealous.
Gretchen: Think about what you just admitted. You are jealous the most unhinged monster any of us know.
Samantha: Because of the way you’re acting with you! It’s like you’re best friends or something.
Gretchen: Let me be perfectly clear: no one will ever replace Carol as my best friend.
Carol: Aww! That’s sweet!
Esther: I thought I was your best friend!
Carol: I’d be shocked if anyone on this earth considered you their best friend.
Samantha: Look, I know the two of us are not best friends, but we’ve fostered a positive working relationship.
Gretchen: I agree! Why are you jeopardizing it by acting like a lunatic?
Samantha: I don’t think that’s a fair way to describe my behavior.
Gretchen: I do!
Samantha: It’s not just jealousy. I’m afraid you’re going to endorse her for governor next year. Being governor is what I want more than anything, and I feel it slipping through my fingers.
Gretchen: Are you kidding? Endorsing Jeanne? First, I haven’t even thought about endorsing anyone, but I know I’m not endorsing her! I’m just working with her to get a budget passed! Politicians have huge egos, and sometimes, you have to stoke them. That’s what I was doing, and it’s what she was doing to me. That’s all there is, no need to panic.
Samantha: You mean it?
Gretchen: Yes, now, stop being so needy!
Samantha: So you’ll endorse me for governor?
Gretchen: Now who said that?
Samantha: Come on, Gretchen! You know I’m qualified for it!
Carol: I think the governor is weighing all her options, and will make an endorsement when the need arises sometime next summer.
Samantha: Oh, fine. One more thing, though: how did you know I was upset about you hanging with Jeanne?
Carol: I mean, you didn’t hide it very well.
Sarita: You complained directly to us.
Samantha: I did? Oops.
Gretchen: But also, Carrie. She told me about your scheme to get revenge on Jeanne? Look, I want her gone, too, because I don’t trust her. But she’s not a threat to us, so don’t worry about it. Carrie understands, too, and I told her to just hang tight, and she’ll be floor leader when the time is right, which isn’t now.
Samantha: Got it! Can I leave now? I feel like I’m in the principal’s office.
Gretchen: Well, I do have to punish you with detention…
Samantha: Really?
Gretchen: Oh my god, Pratt, come on! I’m joking!
Samantha: Oh, thank god! I was afraid I really ticked you off this time.
Gretchen: No, frankly, this is just what I’ve come to expect from you.
What did you think of this episode of Raymond Island? Let us know in the comments, and make sure to read the new episode next week!
