Getting cups of coffee to four thousand decent people is a proud responsibility. Tying up loose ends at the end of a task is a mixed bag. You’re welcome. I’m Herschel Sterling and I’m here to help. If anyone hasn’t figured it out, listening is best for my posts. There's more stuff in the audio files than in the written part.
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. I hope my podcast is as interesting as Japanese philosophy. I’ll do my best.It’s the Flash Fiction February Finale. I have learned a lot. 29 brand new flash fiction stories in 29 days. Maybe if anyone is interested, I’ll tell all about it. In the meantime, I’m going to apply what I’ve learned all year, and then we’ll see what happens after that.
There are four thousand people at this antiwar rally, and Manny and Sam have to get coffee to all the people that want one. One of the local businesses donated as much coffee as is needed, and Manny and Sam have been tapped for the task.
As they roam through the crowd with a couple of carts, some disposable carafes, and paper cups, it’s a hectic path. There is a lot of activity, and it’s hard for them to focus. There is a loud whistling sound as a lady has made some whistles out of some old plastic flick lighters. She has passed them out, and people are going crazy with them.
There is a guy bumping his way through the crowd with a portrait of an old, scary-looking man who looks like he’s staring at everyone from the photo. Then there is this guy walking around trying to sell these weird weed bongs with built-in air filters. People will try to make money anywhere.
Just as Sam is pouring a cup of coffee, two mice come panicking around his feet with a giant chunk of cheese. He almost spills it, but there happens to be a woman close by with a gold vase, and she catches the coffee in the vase. “Thanks”. She says. “I can use this.”
Near the front of the crowd, by the stage, there’s an art installation using an old Super-8 projector to superimpose images from the Vietnam protests onto the back of the modern stage, where two bungee jumpers are hauled off and arrested for jumping from one of the buildings with a protest sign. Three men in lab coats are watching the sky. One of them has a device.
A man and his granddaughter are eating granola bars in the middle of the crowd near Manny. The old guy can really use a cup of coffee with that granola bar. “You always find what you want, granddad.” The little girl says. As Manny turns from them, he spins into a teen boy and his dad, who is tightly holding onto a box with holes punched into the tp and the sides. “Why are you bombing our syssssstemssssssss—consciousnesssssss isssss a closssssed syssssstem—you’re bombing yoursssssselvesssssss.” Says the voice coming from the box. Manny is freaked out by that and moves more quickly.
Back over by Sam, there are two laughing ladies. One of them has a chair with a thrift store price tag on it. The other one has a sweater she bought for a friend. As Sam pours them some coffee, he sees something out of the corner of his eye, in the sky over his shoulder. There seems to be a battle in the sky over whether it will rain or not. There are conflicting reports, and it’s as though the sky can’t make up its mind. A little girl is looking at the sky, she’s following some activity in the sky, but it’s as though she’s the only one who sees it, and what’s odd are the socks that keep appearing near her.
Manny and Sam catch up to each other. Manny says: “Did you see those three lights in the sky?” Sam responds. “No, but there’s something going on up there, it feels like every time I look up to see what’s happening, I feel like I’m being watched.”
Spring is right around the corner, as these two continue dutifully to get the people the coffee. There are signs, banners, and dumbshit psyop fake communists and activists who are 100% on the clock for the psychopaths.
There are real, decent citizens as well, protesting another illegal war, tired of funding all of this at their own expense. The disparate nature of this crowd seems insurmountable, but the agreement among them is incontrovertible. They may just yet figure that out.
The End.
AI Title: Roaming Through the Chaos: A Day at the Antiwar Rally
Subtitles:
Coffee Duty: Manny and Sam's Mission Amidst the Crowd
Eccentricities Amid Activism: Odd Encounters at the Rally
Symbolism in the Chaos: From Whistles to Flying Socks
Observations from Below: Perspectives on the Sky and Society
Unity in Diversity: Finding Common Ground Amid Disparate Voices
Peace NOW Coffee NOW