Revolution For Third Cello Without Orchestra

 

Revolution For Third Cello Without Orchestra

 

 

Benny was first aware of the protests when he happened to be strolling past the legislature building one sunny and warm Sunday afternoon. He didn’t know what the protest was about and didn’t really care to know. He thought there were better ways of showing displeasure although at the moment he didn’t know what they were.

In general, he wished people would just get along. He was also unsure as to what the purpose was of protesting on a Sunday. Weren’t the politicians on an off-day? He thought no more about it until the following Wednesday evening.

He was eating a bowl of cereal and watching the news on TV when he saw that the protest had escalated and there were more than two hundred people gathered. The protest was apparently about cuts to social services but Benny still didn’t really care as he didn’t use social services; he never got sick, had no children in the educational system (no children at all, as a matter of fact), and he didn’t know what the others were.

On Thursday, there were five hundred protesters, and on Friday, there were a thousand, and at least one of the protesters threw a bag of dog poop at the front door of the legislature. The police hit some of the protesters with truncheons but Benny felt this was only fair turnabout. Benny was mildly outraged at the protest and determined to do something about it after the weekend.

On Monday morning, Benny was at the legislature, carrying a placard of his own making, which read, “I support the government.” He was asked by some protesters what it was he meant by that, but he refused to answer, attempting to show contempt for the protesters, but in reality, he didn’t know. For that same reason, he refused to answer questions from the media.

Tuesday afternoon saw Benny again at the legislature, marching in a small circle, chanting, “I support the government!” A man in a slick blue suit approached Benny and introduced himself as an assistant to the Deputy Minister of Social Services. “Sir, just what is it that you support?”

“The government,” said Benny. “I support the government.”

“But why?”

“Because I support the government. The government knows best. I trust the government.” Benny hadn’t voted for the government, hadn’t, in fact, voted at all, but he felt there was a higher principle involved here.

“You see,” said the man. “We’ve kind of had a change of heart. And of mind. We think the protesters have a point, and we’re going to eliminate the budget cuts.”

“Nonsense!” cried Benny. “You, sir, are a turncoat! The government had it right all along!”

“I’m sorry, sir,” said the man, and walked away.

As Benny was eating his cereal that evening, he turned his TV on and there was the Minister in the middle of an announcement. “... and therefore, we have to conclude that anyone who originally supported the government was very wrong, and therefore there must be consequences for those who do not think correctly.”

The Minister looked directly through the screen at Benny, and a lightning ball came out of the TV and hit Benny squarely between the eyes.

William Kitcher

Bill’s stories, plays, and comedy sketches have been published and/or produced in Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, England, Guernsey, Holland, India, Ireland, South Africa, and the U.S. Recent stories were published in Litbreak Magazine, New Contrast, The Bookends Review, The Sirens Call, Spank The Carp, Little Old Lady Comedy, Spinozablue, and Fugitives & Futurists, and he has stories forthcoming in Brushfire Literature and Arts Journal, The Rockford Review, Close To The Bone, Eunoia Review, Evening Street Review, and Bright Flash Literary Review.