Aphelion

Amazing coincidence Eddie. The recent news is all abuzz about the play in New York about the stabbing of the president and big league sponsors pulling out. People are funny. In this day and age of 'me' we all get wound up over weird (censored). Politics. Religion. Sex. Writing. Gluten. Global warming/cooling. Purple dinosaurs.

What the world really needs is a smile, some good food, and an open mind. Too many minds are not only closed, but locked, chained, and wrapped in steel. Not mine though, mine is too open, (gotta let out all the voices in my head)

I greatly enjoyed the imagery of the story you wrote. Every line was powerful and you could feel the tension between the two.

I served in the US Marines and Coast Guard so the military aspect of your story to follow orders was correct. At the embassies I guarded, we had authority over the Ambassador when the (censored) hit the fan. If he/she told us he/she wanted to go out of the safe room, we could physically restrain him/her.

You also pointed out something important in the story, that being betrayal is a powerful human trait. Betrayal and lies go hand in hand. Thus honor and serve are a very idealistic concept when dealing with people.

Glad you shared the story Eddie. I think you captured the essence of this months challenge very well, and I for one think it's great.

I think it's hard to write good political satire, but I may just be extra picky. It takes something along the subtle lines of The Wizard of Oz before I really like it.

For anybody who doesn't know, it has been said the story is actually about the follies of a "gold-based" economy that actually uses paper money instead, personified by the Emerald City, which is why at the end of the gold road is a fumbling politician without any real powers in the guise of the Wizard, aka Theodore Roosevelt. East vs. west witches. Dorothy as Everyman. Scarecrow as American farmers. Tim Man as industrial workers, etc., etc.

So I've heard it said, anyway. Not sure what the flying monkeys were supposed to represent, though... Probably something not politically correct...


Your mileage may vary.