13. SINCERITY OF OUR INTENTIONS, AND THE HATCHET WAS BURIED. I HAD NO PROBLEM KEEPING BUSY IN THE PETROLEUM ADMINISTRATION. THE FIRST YEAR IT WAS THE SEVEN-DAY WEEK AND THE FOURTEEN-HOUR DAY. AFTER A WHILE I BECAME SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR AND NO PIECE OF PAPER COULD REACH THE PETROLEUM ADMINISTRATOR OR THE DEPUTY UNTIL IT HAD BEEN INITIALED BY ME. THE AGENCY'S STAFF WAS LARGELY RECRUITED FROM THE MAJOR OIL COMPANIES, AND I FOUND MYSELF WORKING WITH VERY ABLE MEN, MOST OF WHOM WERE YEARS MY SENIOR. I SAW WARTIME WASHINGTON AT WORK AND ACQUIRED SOME KNOWLEDGE OF THE BODY POLITIC. DAVIES WAS A MERCILESS TASKMASTER, AN UNCOMPROMISING PERFECTIONIST, A FANTASTICALLY ABLE MAN FOR WHOM I HAD GREAT RESPECT, EVEN AFFECTION, AND ADMIRATION, BUT I WAS NOT WILLING TO WORK FOR HIM THE REST OF MY LIFE. 1 ASPIRED TO MORE TIME TO SMELL THE FLOWERS, AS THE WAR DREW TO A CLOSE, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN