CSI: American Carnage (Tuesday, September 10, 2019)
BENEATH THE CENTRAL PLAINS – Far below the haggard fields with their crops of dilapidated corn and roads edged by food lines full of hungry farmers and hollow-eyed children dressed in rags, the Dark Ones lounge in the Room of Respect on the far western edge of the vast central plains complex. The elder sips his glass of green tea, just in from the West Lake area of Hangzhou. He looks on his prostrate brother, who is dressed in a splendid suit from Mr. Xi, the finest tailor on Canal Street, and seems to be resting comfortably. The elder says, The Gambler Showman is stirring up the servi, my brother. They are re-doubling their investigations of his reckless behavior. Perhaps we might consider diverting some of the Flint Hills revenue to tide him over. It might possibly postpone the looming breakdown and arrests. The younger brother is silent. The elder says, Dammit! Has the cat got your tongue? Father would not be amused. Do not anger him, my brother. Do not disappoint. The Gambler Showman is like an uncaged child. The elder pauses and chuckles. Ho ho ho. He says, That was an amusing joke, don’t you think? The younger brother says nothing. He continues to lie quietly, eyes closed. The elder says, We must encourage the Gambler Showman’s blossoming wall fixation. At least when he is fantasizing about the wall, his deceits are manageable and well contained. He delights in caging the children. He steals from Peter and he steals from Paul. What of it? These are unimportant matters. And at least when he steals from Paul or the Air Force he isn’t seeking to steal from us directly. If he is focused on building his wall, his great, beautiful wall, as he calls it, if he is focused on that, we can begin to plan the transfer of power. The Hoosier Puppet is ready, I believe, and while he has been wayward of late, I believe he can be throttled and made to come to heel. The Gambler Showman’s wall obsession reminds me of Father, wouldn’t you agree? Remember how he fed the Eastern Despot’s visions of a great Palace of the Soviets? It would be be the greatest, most beautiful, the tallest and most important palace in the world! Father encouraged the details. Do you remember? Yes, yes, he said, the Statue of Lenin will be a heroic touch for the crown of the palace. Yes, it should be bigger and taller than the pathetic Statue of Liberty. Yes, he said, there should be a gold room. Yes, the furniture should be covered in the finest silks and satins. Yes, you have the concrete, the steel, the glass. It will be tall and it will be great! The Despot obsessed over the palace — so many details to attend to! — until the leader of the Huns brought his day dreams to a halt. But did that bother Father. No! He urged the Hun on, encouraging his dream of an architectural Germania! Father was so nimble and astute! He deeply understood these alleged leaders with their petty meglomanias. My brother! You rest well. This has been a most fruitful conversation. The elder rises and leaves the Room of Respect and his brother continues his nap. – Tuesday, September 10, 2019