Leadership Ability

        The ever weakening Republican biblical restraints have wrought social
    changes and economic upheaval. New challenges face a generation with
    no moral compass or financial security. There is no middle ground only
    survival or total destruction. Wealth or poverty are all that are left.
        Nancy sank before the wind as she hung the laundry to dry. But, she
    was not weak, rather she had witnessed the outer manifestation of God
    in that moment. She knew what she must do. Nancy stood slowly and
    gathered her basket. She walked in an even pace to the back door of
    her home. Upon entering she made dinner for her family and waited
    for their return.
        The community had been disconnected for decades. Everyone kept
    moving on, looking for someplace where there were more jobs. But, nothing
    could make Nancy leave her home. Her family had lived here for generations.
    Steven came in with the two children. Nancy brought out the mashed potatoes
    and ham. She doled out the portions and sat at the opposite end of the table
    to her husband. "I spoke to God." she said. The two children giggled.
    Steven looked worried. "God wants me to be President." she continued.
    Steven dropped his knife and fork; "Kids stay here. Nancy, you come with me."
        He was very angry and grabbed her forcefully by the arm. "I am the President."
    he said sharply, "You are undermining my authority in front of the children."
    Nancy knew Steven had a nervous breakdown after the factory closed.
    But, she knew that their only hope was for her to become the President.
    Only her divine insight could turn the country back to the right path. Steven's
    rage grew stronger as he beat her. She would not recant. "This is insubordination."
    he shouted. He ordered his son to lock Nancy in the tornado shelter out behind
    the barn. Nancy said her prayers. There was nothing to fear. God told her so.
          "Alright. Your mother has gone off the deep end. Sally. You will tend to her.
    Make sure she is comfortable. I'll go get the doctor." Steven put his hat on and
    stomped out to his burro and buggy. Jimmy looked at Sally, "There both cracked."
    "Yeah." Sally replied with a slow twang. "You want to go skinny dipping?" Jimmy
    smirked. "Yeah." Sally replied. Steven returned with old Doc Carter a few hours
    later. "You beat her. Listen, that's not right." the Doc grumbled. "Jesus. I just
    lost my temper. I can't shovel shit all day at the slaughter house and deal with
    this." Steven slumped into his chair at the dining room table. The old Doc
    patted him on his shoulder, "Well, she's not bleedin internally. The rest will
    heal." "I must run for the Presidency." Nancy slurred through bruised lips.
    Steven put his head in his hands. "The Presidency no longer has any meaning.
    Everything is decided at the League of Nations. You cannot become President."
    Doc Carter said slowly. He held a small flash light to check her eyes.
    "I am Athena!" she shouted. A lighting bolt struck near the barn. Nancy stood
    before them in raments of a Greek Goddess.
          Steven soiled himself. Doc Carter sat down and took a glass of water.
    Her face shown like the sun, her voice shook the house; "I will restore this nation."
    "Okay." Doc Carter nodded. "Where are the kids?" Steven asked dizzy. He
    waved his right hand limply and fainted. Sally and Jimmy were at the creek.
    They were naked as Jay birds and just as frisky. Nancy turned her gaze to them.
    Instantly, the two siblings were transported to the kitchen dinning room.
    "Oh Jesus." Old Doc Carter took another sip of water. "You have found yourself."
  Nancy spoke at her trembling children. "No matter. God's must have God's."
  Nancy continued, "I will go to Washington and proclaim myself President."
  She vanished. "Okay." Doc Carter answered, "Kids your coming home with me.
  I'm calling the Sheriff to sort out all of this. Leave your Pa there. He needs the rest."
  And so began the Presidency of Athena.


  (7x70)
   
                                          A Goddess Rule


          Athena was a compassionate dictator. She would not kill.
    Instead she turned to stone or wild animals all that stood against her. At the
    Capital, Athena reduced the Senators to a flock of cackling chickens. The
    previous President was their rooster. Athena enjoyed the mayhem as the
    chickens rushed for their feed only to be ruffled by a cocky rooster. And no,
    Athena was a vegetarian. She did not eat chicken. "I want all people to be
    free thinkers. That is the essence of Greek philosophy." she proclaimed.
    All in attendance at her speech applauded loudly. They did not want to be
    chickens. But, the essence of ancient Greece was a cast society and a God
    expected to be worshiped.
          All were prosperous. And none were free. "I guess this is a good place
    to meet your mom." Doc Carter said timidly. He stood in a massive pantheon
    with Nancy's two children. "I hope we don't get turned into sumthin." Sally
    said, holding Doc Carter's right hand. "Nonsense. Your mom loves you."
    Doc continued. "And it came forth from the head of Zeus; Athena, Goddess
    of wisdom." Athena spoke from every corner.

  (?)"Ma?" Jimmy asked. The marble face of Athena smiled down at them.
  "Yes. My son." she answered from the idol. "Ah. We want yah home. Pa's .. in a
  nut house." Jimmy looked up at the talking monument. Tears came down her
  marble face. "For now." Athena said, "You must stay with Doc Carter. And you
  must pray to the Gods for peace. There are many, who would break my rule."
  Doc Carter took a pinch of incense and burned it in the urn before Athena.
  The children knelled. The doctor took them to their hover car. A bald gray haired
  man scampered over to them. "Nothing changes! She will turn all of us to stone!"
  he cried and beat on the windshield. "Doc. He looks familiar." Jimmy remarked.
  Doc Carter put on his specks to examine the vagrant.
          "Hmm. Looks like Biden. Yep." the Doc said and started to lift away the
  hover car. Biden had been a popular morning talk show host. All broadcast were
  controlled by the Athena and her Vestal Virgins. "Wait! Your our only hope!"
  Biden grabbed hold of the hood. "Oh God." Doc Carter lowered the hover car.
  "Listen to me. You must convince your mother she is wrong." Biden held on to
  the hood. "Yeah. Good luck with that." Sally snickered. Doc's eyes widened
  as Biden's head shrunk into a chicken head. There was nothing left of him,
  but a cackling chicken on their hood. Jimmy and sally laughed. The Doc quickly
  shewed the chicken off and steered for home. "Hylomorphism." he muttered.
  It was clear Athena would not be dissuaded. Sally and Jimmy watched Fox News.
  The network reported whatever Athena wanted. They had no choice.
  "I like the man with the deep voice." Sally said, remarking on a Celebrity.
  "Yeah. He has a lot of moxie." Doc smiled, "He's Australian."

    999
 
                                              Dashwood


          The Hell Fire Club had celebrated the spring solstice with an orgy at
    the Portland, Maine Civic Center. But, Athena had forbade any worship of
    Gods not in her Pantheon. Muzzy was deeply depressed. He always enjoyed
    an orgy. Doc. Carter brought the children home and Muzzy made dinner.
    "So. The old talk show host said, 'If we could prove Athena wrong. She would
    loose her power.'" Jimmy said munching on his chicken wings. Muzzy leaned
    back from his plate and scratched his nose. "Is that right?" he queried.
    Doc Carter shook his head slowly, "Well, he couldn't say much before she
    changed him into a chicken." "Ah-huh. Seems to me there is a lot about
    this Athena that is not right." Muzzy continued rocking on his chair; "Where
    are the other God's? And why did Athena need your ma to become President?"
    Doc Carter kissed Muzzy and whispered, "Do you want to be a chicken?"
    Muzzy patted the old Doc on the shoulder.
          "There are rules. And I know what magic tricks are." Muzzy said in a
    loud voice. Sally asked to be excused she need to go pee-pee.
    "Let's say you have a crime scene in the middle of New York City.
    What do you do? Do you get bulldozers and dump trucks and ship the
    evidence off to China?" Jimmy jumped up and ran from the room. Doc Carter
    sat down and had a glass of water. He shook his head slowly. "All I'm saying is.
    Why did Jack Ruby shoot Lee Harvey Oswald? Jack Ruby was a racist and
    owned a KKK bar in Dallas, TX. No evidence and the assassin is murdered.
    That's a cover up." Muzzy spun his spoon on the table. Old Doc Carter looked
    in the corner of the room.. There was someone seated there in the French Chair.
    Muzzy leaned forward to squint at the apparition. She was smoking a Tiparillo.
    "Do you like frightening children?" she asked. Doc Carter took a gulp of water
    and poured some more.
          A light shown over her, like a hallo. It was the Blessed Virgin Mary.
    "You are not Athena." Muzzy remarked. "I am the mother of all the living."
    She answered. "What is thy bidding Manon?" Muzzy winked his left eye.
    "I will protect you. You must confront the Black Witch and expose her lies."
    The room filled with the odor of sweet roses. "Smells like a funeral parlor."
    Doc Carter remarked. "Bring the children to the stone circle and make a
    sacrifice of them to the Earth." the Virgin Mary said. Muzzy smirked, "That's
    the bait to get Nancy here." The apparition winked her left eye at Muzzy;
    "When the Black Witch comes I will crush her under my foot."
    Muzzy stood up and called Sally and Jimmy. They were not in the house.
    "I knew this was too simple." Doc Carter groused. Muzzy shrugged,
    "Will just have to go fetch them."


    666