Rations Bulletin: 56th Quadrant

This is a microfiction that was accepted for publication in the new issue of Big Bridge, but never made it to the cyber-page. Such is life.

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RATIONS BULLETIN: 56th Quadrant
December 19th Update


To: Qualified Consumers:
From: Agitant Erwin B. Oleander
Southwest Northeast Regiment

As you must be aware, you still can only get one of them after a minimum month's wait and only if you have the right credentials (Refer to RB August 7th). You must be patient; after all, the queue's your choice. But of course we all realize that every patriot has to have at least one of them, and for very good reason. No wait is too long in the service of one's country.

We repeat. You must have health insurance and sufficient insulation to weather the elements. The Generals do not coddle. Emergency medical services will not be provided. If you desire more than one of them, you will have to apply three months in advance. There will be a thorough background check. Choose your Region, Race and Gender and click HERE. If you are not on the map, click THERE. You will have to choose height, width, weight, color, gender, taste, voice, smell, texture, language, sect, race, age, and education level. You may not get what you ask for.

All of the major quadrants have reported numerous incidents of queue kill. Since August, the crime rate has been rising with the falling barometer. Panic will not be tolerated. As always, exercise extreme caution.

Last week's most grievous incidents are as follows:

Sunday: A Mr. N of XXX threw a tantrum that landed in Mme. Z's lap and started to bite. Mme. Z fell back loudly, upset Mr. C's newspaper, exposing headlines: War in Mesopotamia Begins: Untold Millions Flee. Unreasonable reactions ensued. Thousands were shot as a reasonable precautionary measure. Speaking in cognito, it is said that the President said the “shocking actions” of the untold were “unpresidented.” Why would a war in Mesopotamia upset my fellow Americans?

Tuesday: It has been alleged that one Ms. L. of BBB asked one Mrs. M of DDD to hold her place behind Mrs. M while she slipped off to the field of the portable toilets. When Ms. L returned, Mrs. P of DDD was standing behind Mrs. M and refused to step aside. Accusing Mrs. M of nepotistic betrayal, Mrs. M retorted, in substance: I am not my sister's keeper, and you're not my sister anyway, so fuck off. A Mr. T of FFF positioned himself between Mrs. M and Ms. L and chided: "Now, now, girls will be girls!" Whereupon Ms. L, Mrs. M, Mrs. P and seven unidentified ladies struck Mr. T with umbrellas, causing fatal injuries. A riot ensued. The police used reasonable force to intercede. 41 people were injured; 29 died, and several ladies were arrested and quarantined. This incident is under investigation. There are indications.

Thursday: An elderly man claiming to have been a senator of great renown threw a copy of the former U.S. Constitution at General Bourbon and his men, as they were inspecting the queue. The Constitution grazed the General's head; he was momentarily stunned but unharmed. His men grabbed the elderly man and shot him on the spot. 26 bystanders were shot, as well, as a reasonable precautionary measure. Authorities suspect that the alleged former senator was a Mesopotamian terrorist, connected to the Meso Soup network. He had a briefcase filled with Constitutions. The quadrant bag inspectors were immediately arrested and quarantined, awaiting interrogation.

Saturday: There were 88 casualties and 36 life-threatening injuries due to slippages on ice, severe frostbite, fistfights and assorted tantrums, the police employing reasonable force to contain same. Extinct seal-skin snow boots are highly recommended.