The General's Stand (standard:drama, 5235 words)
Author: Bobby Zaman	Added: Feb 15 2002	Views/Reads: 3405/4467	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
A deranged military general takes to the streets with plans of a takeover.

THE GENERAL'S STAND by Bobby Zaman 

True.  These very days of angst and upheaval in the city almost brought
history back, with beating wings, to descend upon the populace the iron 
hands of dictatorship, misled in the last days to a sour downfall, that 
ruled for nearly a decade last time, until the president's nefarious 
activities took him and his regime plunging to a shameful demise. 

General Haider Mirza had patiently counted the days.  His baldhead shone
like the top of a dome in the sunlight as he stood on his balcony, 
smoking his pipe and looking out at the city.  This, he thought, was 
the outcome of letting civilian heathens have their way with the 
system. 

"The direct result of nonsensical utopian dreams filtering into the
practicalities that needed to be administered in order to proficiently 
run a government," the General mumbled, looking down at the street as 
if he were addressing a gathering of faithful subjects. 

- So what we're descending towards is a massive state of emergency, and
what shall be done to prevent it? 

- I'll tell you what, tie those hags up by their noses and parade them
naked around the city and let the people stone them to death. 

- Ah, yes, that will surely make a great impression to the world, you
think? 

- They left Mussolini hanging until his corpse bloated and exploded on
pedestrians. 

I tell you, take the whole damn country in a basket the ding-bang-lot
shake it up real good and mix everything with everything and throw it 
back out.  That ought to take care of business. 

And what about the classes? 

The hell with all of them.  They'll all be beggars once the supreme
mandated and ordained rule takes over and they'll find bullets instead 
of bones in their meals. 

Blood pressure medication is in the breast pocket from whence the
General yanks it out and tosses two yellow pills to the back of his 
throat chasing them down with the remainder of his tea. 

"Monkey democratic laws, air-headed hopes of a republic, here was the
final testament of that faith that was put into the judgment of the 
people," thought the General, "so there you have it.  Heathen 
democracy.  Anarchy!" 

ANARCHY. 

And anarchy has only one answer, "the General mused looking at the
cluster of soggy tea leaves at the bottom of his cup.  "Like the 
prophetic words of that brilliant Florentine," thought General Mirza, 
"Men must either be caressed or else annihilated." 

The General had never married, by choice, believing that if a man were
to serve his country he can't afford to have any distractions at any 
time, and always be prepared, at less than a moments notice, to launch 
into action, without being pestered and hindered by "unnecessary 
tethers." 

What's the report gentlemen? 

Demonstrations. 

Riots. 

Mobs. 

Underworld killings. 

So you're saying we're at the mercy of thugs! 



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