‘Life, what a mystery, Old Man said. ‘You talk and talk and no one listens, then you say an offhanded remark and it is written down for posterity,’ Old Man observed. ‘Many words are a weariness, but a few fitly spoken are like apples of gold in pictures of silver the Bible tells us,’ Old Man said. ‘Words of support and love are the most difficult to craft and take the longest on the polishing stone,’ Old Man mused. ‘Words of hope and future are powerful and crack like a firecracker,’ the Old Man laughed. ‘Words of sadness and remorse cut like a razor,’ Old Man remembered. ‘Summer tomorrow and swimming at Pounds Hollow with Chet and Jane and Neva June,’ Old Man thought. ‘No clock, no cares, no time for worries,’ Old Man danced at the thought.

‘We must close our country to the outsiders,’ the Leader said. ‘We must not allow our blood to be polluted, the Leader proclaimed. ‘Only I can fix it,’ the Leader promised with a wave of his hand.

‘Look, Mr. Leader, the tanks are rolling by and the soldiers are saluting,’ the Defense Secretary said. ‘This is the celebration you have been anticipating,’ the Defense Secretary announced. ‘Listen to the tanks squeaking by on the avenue while a few people clap,’ the Defense Secretary admonished.

‘Snore…snore…snore…’ the Leader responded.

‘Hot dogs and hamburgers and peanuts will be at the Cubs game tomorrow,’ Chet said with glee. ‘I hope to attend all of the home games this season,’ Chet noted. ‘This is the Cubs’ year,’ Chet proclaimed. ‘No one will stop the mighty Cubs in 1963,’ Chet laughed. ‘JFK is our President and we are going to put a man on the moon in this decade,’ Chet called out to the bleachers of fans. ‘Soon the war in Vietnam will be a thing of the past,’ Chet said. ‘Happy Days are here again,’ Chet danced on one foot and then the other.

‘Why are you deployed to Los Angeles?’ asked the child of the soldier. ‘My home is peaceful and Mama and I feel safe,’ the Child said. ‘Will you always be outside our schools and restaurants, bookstores and churches?’ the Child asked. ‘Is our country fighting itself?’ the Child asked the soldier.

‘Tomorrow we will eat watermelon with plenty of salt,’ Jane said with a grin. ‘I will sleep in and watch Captain Kangaroo and Bozo The Clown,’ Jane observed. ‘My bicycle is ready to ride,’ Jane said. ‘The 4th of July is in two weeks with corn on the cob and a picnic in Karel Park,’ Jane laughed heartily.

‘I will decide in two weeks if I am going to bomb Iran, no one knows what I am going to do,’ the Leader said. ‘All power is mine and I alone will give out my favors to those who please me,’ the Leader observed. ‘I decide what books to read and that DEI is meant for the white race, who has been discriminated against more than any,’ the President said. ‘Enjoy your summer, I am in charge of it,’ the President assured. ‘I know that women feel much safer with me at the helm of the ship,’ the President said.

‘Mr President, Mr. President, when will you allow the return of the under-a-dollar peanut paste to again be provided for malnourished children in foreign lands who are dying from hunger,’ the Reporter asked.

‘Snore…snore…snore,’ the President responded.

‘No more questions as the President has had a long day and is going swimming tomorrow at Pounds Hollow,’ Whitehouse Spokeswoman said.