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These United States’
Library of Congress
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D-Day minus 11 Months
The well-paid doorman, a former Chicago police officer, silently buzzed the door open as Ms. Oprah Winfrey approached the building's front door.
As she pushed the door open and walked across the building's foyer, Oprah smiled and said "Good morning, Reggie"
Smiling back, Reggie replied "Good morning, ma'am" as he checked the outside cameras and his security display to insure the door had securely locked behind her.
Walking towards him, Oprah asked "Are there any packages for me, Reggie?"
"Yes, ma'am, there are. Would you like to wait for Arnie, so he can carry them up for you or do you want us to send them up, ma'am?" He asked.
"I'll wait." as she pulled out her cellphone and started to dial.
"Hello, Melisa?" Reggie heard her ask the person on the other end, as he pressed a button on his own phone, then said "She's waiting" and hung up.
"Does Nicole have some time for me, in the next two weeks?" Oprah said into her cellphone.
Pausing for an answer, she replied "Next Thursday at Chicago Executive Airport (KPWK), around 10ish." then asked "Are the children going to be coming?" listening, she replied "Thank you, Melisa." and hung up as the resident elevator opened with Arnie inside with a hand truck stacked with packages from Barnes and Noble, Amazon Books, and a few others, he didn't reconize.
Walking towards the elevator, Oprah said "Thank you, Reggie" as Arnie pressed the button for her apartment.
Looking at him, Oprah said "Good morning, Arnie."
Arnie replied, "Good morning, ma'am" as the elevator door closed then silently rode the elevator to their destination.
As the elevator door opened, Arnie inserted the 'hold' key and followed Ms. Oprah Winfrey to her Chicago home's door. Looking into the retinal scanner, the door opened.
Arnie followed her with the hand truck as she led him to the kitchen table. She pointed then said "Just stack them on the table, please"
"Yes, ma'am" Arnie replied as she walked out of the room.
Carefully stacking the books, so they wouldn't break the table, Arnie had just finished as Oprah walked back into the room.
"Thanks, Arnie." She told him, as Arnie asked "Is there anything else, ma'am?"
"No, there isn't."
Arnie nodded and walked out of the apartment, entered the elevator, and removed the 'hold' key. Only after the elevator's doors had closed did Arnie wonder what all the books were about because the building's x-ray machine only provided a silhouette of a box's contents not any titles.
Hearing the door close, behind Reggie's nephew, Oprah walked into the kitchen and started hot water for tea. Walking back to the kitchen table, she started to remove the books from their packages, making a mess that would be cleaned up later in the evening.
Working quickly, she was able to remove all of the books by the time the water had come to boil.
After fixing her tea, Oprah walked back to the stacked books and began to check them against her list of titles recommended by the research team.
"Dies the Fire by Sterling; Alas, Babylon by Frank; SAS Survival Guide by Wiseman; The Road by McCarthy; Modern Survival Manual by Aguirre; Survival Mom by Bedford; How to Stay Alive in the Woods by Angier; Outdoor Survival Skills by Olsen; FM 3-05.70 by ..." she continued, as Oprah sipped her tea and thought where to start first.
"Oh well" Oprah said to no one as she picked up The Survival Home Manual by Skousen and began to read.
Later in the Day
As her and Stedman's home became dark, from the fading daylight, Oprah set down the third book and walked towards the bathroom for a break. Returning to the kitchen, she made a small snack and picked up the fourth book and began reading. Trying to learn as much as she could about a subject that has become profoundly important to her!
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