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The Arsenal Files Collection #8 (Arsenal Computer) (1996).ISO
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1996-10-27
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47 lines
Copyright 1996(c)
A VOTE FOR DOLE
By Nelda Merfe
They were such clowns, politicians. Lloyd Barretson couldn't
believe his parents still took all this stuff so seriously, talking
about which candidate was best equipped to fight the war on drugs.
Stupid parents. Like there was a war on drugs. It was all in
their own minds, for sure. Kids knew from drugs and they knew from
the dumb slogans like 'just say no' whenever *they* wanted you not
to have something, it was mostly because the something was fun.
His cousin, Frankie, lived in Atlanta and when he'd come to
visit last summer, he and Lloyd sat out back in the glider, toking
and talking about it. Frankie said he didn't know anybody over the
age of 12 who hadn't at least tried it, and most of them smoked
regular.
"You can 'just say no' to a dry martini," Lloyd muttered aloud
as if to his father, that connoisseur of dry gin and vermouth whose
tongue warbled loosely after the second, and whose bodily control
slipped virtually away after the fourth.
"Riiiiight," Lloyd confirmed to himself and any of the world
that wanted to listen as he passed the crowd waiting for the
opening bell and headed to the hamburger drive-in next door to the
school where the seniors sometimes had lunch.
Imagine thinking it made one tinker's damn bit of difference
who was in the White House. Whoever it was, he wasn't in the school
yard or in the back booth, but Benny was. And Benny had the stuff.
And Lloyd had the money for it.
"You stealing this from the folks?" Benny asked, fingering of
the crisp $20 Lloyd handed him.
"When I can. I'm not particular about who I steal from," said
Lloyd.
"Well, they're gonna notice and try to get you into some kind
of drug therapy. Bet on it," said Benny.
"Nah," said Lloyd. "They're just gonna sit around and say no."
He smiled.
"There's a little something extra for you in there," Benny
said. "Trying out a new product, so let me know how you like it.
It's a little more expensive, but it's pretty hot."
Hot sounded good to Lloyd. He hunched down out back, concealed
by a stand of palm trees, and had a quick smoke.
He seized. And died.
Lloyd Barretson's parents voted for Dole, who still lost.
END