Monsters fascinated me as a lad. Whether Frankenstein, Dracula, or Aliens. My cousin Billy subscribed to Monster Magazines. They were full of movie monsters, old and new, in the early 60s. Billy had a Creature From the Black Lagoon realistic Head and Hands. I wore them in an 8-millimeter film we shot. The monsters highlighted many of society’s ills. Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The movie was about giant pods becoming human replicas of people in the town they had invaded, taking their form and killing the person. The replacements showed no emotion. Another movie with similar overtones is Pluribus, where aliens have captured all but seven humans, thereby giving them hive-like knowledge. The people they can not take over is the conundrum and the focus of the television series.

The Salem Witch Trials resulted in the execution of several innocent people on the word of excitable young women. We quickly demonize what we do not understand. Angst causes us to seek a release from our stress of living with real monsters.

‘Well, Frankenstein was at the Orpheum Theatre last Sunday,’ Chet said. ‘Frank noted that Halloween is coming up soon,’ Chet continued. ‘He is preparing to dress as Mitch McConnell,’ Chet explained. ‘Frankenstein laughed when he mused on the surprise people will have on their faces when they see him in his Mitch McConnell costume,’ Chet continued. ‘The Senator has had speculation as to whether he is brain dead or dead,’ Chet explained. ‘It seems AI photos are circulating of him on the internet,’ Chet offered.

‘I saw the President the other day; I swear he had fangs like Dracula,’ Jane said with a shiver. ‘He was discussing his Bitcoin earnings and validating that the billion dollars he had earned since he has been President was normal and perfectly within the law. ‘He said his participation in Bitcoin had boosted the industry,’ Jane remarked.

‘Joe is not himself these days; he mumbles about America First and believes if you are homeless it is your fault,’ Neva J said. ‘Joe was a giving person and participated in food pantry drives and funding for homeless shelters,’ Neva J continued. ‘He invited immigrants and believed the United States was a Melting Pot,’ Neva J said.