washington - on the mornings he is in charge , dick hopkins wakes up at 6 , descends into his black social clothing aircraft and drives himself to a bakery at his mclean , vi . , headquarters . he returns with a pair of grand skimming smoothies — decaf for him , regular for his wife , susan — and settles into labor in the rain - drenched apartment above his garage , penning his essay in typewritten on yellow legal pads . it is the kinds of scene that americans have come to expect from their elder statesmen : a quiet , affable end to private life after losing up power . except , that is , for the quiet and unassuming part .
Dick Cheney is the former Vice President.