At precisely the same time the new President was sworn in
Marion started talking about the war.
Incompetent generals
Lack of supplies
Napalmed villages
Row upon row of civilian's backbones jutting out of snow.
A reporter overheard their conversation
And filed the story.
The story attracted national interest
TV reports
International coverage
Satellite linkups
Minute by minute descriptions of what Marion said about the war.
The bartender inflated the price of drinks
His brother- in- law who owned the bar
Printed T-shirts
Photographs
Brochures
Maps
And sold them to tourists eager to listen in person
To what Marion said about the war.
The tourists came and booked out
Hotels motels guest houses.
New hotels motels guest houses casinos amusement parks
And fast food outlets.
Supermarkets brothels banks sprang up overnight.
American rock and roll bands were flown in
To entertain the waiting masses
Who had to wait while heads of state
Celebrities and religious leaders
Worked their way to the corner of the bar
To hear what Marion said about the war.
When the new President awarded Marion a medal
For single-handedly increasing GNP 5000%
Acclaiming him
"The kind of a man this country needs" and
"The kind of a man who makes this country what it is"
Marion replied softly at first
"Thankyou for your kind words Mr President
I only meant to explain a common soldier's point of view.
You have my personal thanks Mr President
For putting an end to this unfortunate war.
We all understand why martial law is necessary
And I can personally assure you Mr President
I will be voting at the new elections whenever they are held.
May I say it is a pity about the old President
But we are fortunate you were elsewhere
When the assassination squad went about its business.
Thank you for the medal Mr President
But truly speaking I am just a simple soldier
Who does not understand the politics of the bullet.
Please forgive my ignorance of curfews
Summary execution of political opponents real or imagined
Ethnic cleansing
Rape
Routine torture squads
Or the sudden appearance of your general's cap
Upon the head of this simple nation."
And quickly shaking the hand of the gob-smacked President
Marion waved his medal to the one billion satellite audience
Winked at the bartender
And weaving his way through countless security guards
United Nations officials and the not so Secret Police
Left the country fast.
